New Delhi– India on Thursday issued a sharp rebuke to the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, for allowing the demolition of the Durga Mandir in Dhaka. The Indian government accused the administration of bowing to extremist pressure and failing to protect minority religious institutions.
“We understand that extremists had been agitating for the demolition of the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. Instead of ensuring the temple’s protection, the interim government chose to frame the incident as a case of illegal land use and permitted its destruction,” said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a weekly press briefing in New Delhi.
Jaiswal further noted that the temple’s deity was damaged before it could be relocated. “We are deeply dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh. It is the responsibility of the interim government to safeguard the rights, properties, and religious institutions of the Hindu community,” he emphasized.
Earlier this week, the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) reported another violent episode in Dinajpur district, where a Mahastri Manasa and Durga temple was vandalized by unknown attackers. The perpetrators reportedly smashed idols and decapitated the statue of the Goddess Manasa—an act the HRCBM described as “a horrifying attempt to terrorize the Hindu minority community.”
The organization added that the attackers threatened further violence against local Hindus, warning of future killings. “The deep-rooted fear among Bangladesh’s Hindu community—fueled by years of targeted violence, marginalization, and institutional failure—was starkly evident in this incident,” the HRCBM said in a statement.
India has repeatedly criticized the Yunus-led administration, asserting that Hindu minorities in Bangladesh are facing systematic persecution.
In response to a separate question regarding a recent trilateral meeting between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, held in Kunming on June 19, the MEA spokesperson reiterated India’s vigilance over regional developments.
“We keep a constant watch on changes in our neighborhood that could impact India’s interests and security,” Jaiswal said. “While our relationships with individual countries stand on their own merit, we also consider the broader regional context.”
The Kunming meeting marked the first trilateral engagement among the three nations, with a shared commitment to strengthen regional connectivity and expand cooperation in sectors such as trade, agriculture, digital economy, green infrastructure, marine sciences, and cultural exchange.
Since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, Bangladesh’s interim administration has notably strengthened ties with both China and Pakistan. Once strained, Dhaka-Islamabad relations are now reportedly warming under Yunus’s leadership.
Observers warn that Pakistan is exploiting this diplomatic opening by embedding non-state actors within Bangladesh, mingling them with Rohingya refugees, and supporting Islamist factions with anti-India agendas. (Source: IANS)
