Bangladesh minority group urges govt to protect sanctity of Hindu pilgrimage site

A post on his Facebook page titled "90% (ninety) confirmed mosque on the top of Sitakunda mountain" by Mufti SM Saiful Islam, a businessman and follower of Qawmi Madrasa, has created deep concern and apprehension among the general Hindu public, it added.

"The post also states that a mosque will be built at the base of a banyan tree just below the temple. The post mentions that he had a final discussion with Mufti Harun bin Ezahar in this regard," the statement said.

Mufti Harun Ezahar is the son of Mufti Ezaharul Islam, the founding director general of Jamiatul Uloom Al Islamia Madrasa in Lalkhan Bazar, Chittagong city, and an influential leader of Hefazat-e-Islam, the statement said.

The Unity Council has drawn the attention of the government, administration, and army to take immediate steps to prevent all attempts by various quarters to disrupt communal harmony and to ensure that no undesirable situation is created by disrupting communal harmony, centred around the holy pilgrimage site of Chandranath Dham in Sitakunda, Chittagong.

The call for action follows incidents such as the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka's Khilkhet area by Bangladesh Railway authorities in June, which sparked widespread outrage among the local Hindu community and minority groups, prompting protests and emotional appeals for justice and restoration.

Members of minority communities formed a human chain in Dhaka's Shahbagh to protest the demolition. Large crowds gathered to condemn the government's action and express solidarity with the affected Hindu devotees.

Speaking to ANI, Manindra Kumar Nath, Acting General Secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, said, "Today, the Bangladesh Sanatani Group and Sanatani Andolan have gathered here. Yesterday, in Dhaka's heartland, near the rail line, they demolished a temple using a government bulldozer. We all had to witness such a brutal scene. This has hurt our sentiments. We condemned such acts of destructive and violent religious frenzy."

"In protest of this, the Sanatani society has woken up today. They have gathered here in unanimous protest against such an action. We will stage a protest in front of the Dhaka Press Club tomorrow morning. We severely criticise the act. Unfortunately, this government is carrying out such condemnable acts, and we can see no reaction from the government," he said.

"They have been labelling these incidents as rumours and have been ignoring them for a long time. They are saying that such incidents are not true. But we are noticing such repeated non-acceptance of the government, and we believe that it has instigated a particular community," he added.

The Bangladesh Railway authorities demolished the Khilkhet Sarbojanin Shri Shri Durga Mandir on Thursday, stating it was constructed illegally on railway land. The move came three days after a mob allegedly called for the temple's removal.

Minority organisations condemned the demolition, alleging that the authorities acted without issuing prior notice to the community. Committee members also alleged that on Monday night, a mob of more than 500 people, armed with sticks, surrounded the temple while worshippers were inside, Bangladesh-based New Age reported.

Temple committee secretary Arjun Roy told New Age, "They demolished everything today without giving us a prior notice. We are very disheartened over the incident." He also claimed that the committee had previously obtained permission from the railway authorities to celebrate Durga Puja on the premises and to use the land temporarily for worship.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway's Dhaka divisional estate officer, Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud, stated that the demolition began at around 10 am and included various illegal establishments on railway land. He said the temple had not taken formal permission from the authorities, according to New Age.

The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the Mahanagor Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and the Minority Rights Movement also issued separate statements condemning both the mob attack and the demolition of the temple. (ANI)