Bangladesh clarifies media reports on Durga temple destruction, says temple built without permission, land owned by Railways

DHAKA: The Bangladesh government on Friday clarified the circumstances surrounding the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area, stating that the temple was built without permission on land owned by Bangladesh Railways.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on railway land during Durga Puja last year without prior permission. Although the railway authority later extended permission, the organisers failed to remove the structure after the celebrations, violating their agreement.

“The fact remains that last year, during Durga Puja, without having prior permission, the local Hindu community installed a makeshift Puja Mandap on a piece of land that is undisputedly owned by Bangladesh Railways. Later, the Railway authority extended permission with the condition that as soon as the Puja celebration is over, the organisers would remove the makeshift Mandap. Regrettably, after the Puja was over in October 2024, the organisers declined to remove the makeshift Mandap, violating the mutual agreement. Rather, they established a ‘Maha Kali’ (Kali Murti) there,” the Bangladesh foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry further explained that despite “repeated reminders, they unfortunately took the initiative to make the Mandap permanent, disregarding their own arrangement with the railway authorities.”

“In December 2024, Railway authorities held consultations with local community representatives, organisers of the Mandap and issued a public notification asking all concerned to remove all unauthorised installations, including vendors, hundreds of shops and political party offices, illegally built on either side of the rail tracks owned by Bangladesh Railway in the area,” the statement noted.

According to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, the land is owned by Bangladesh Railways, with the ministry stating that 200 feet from the existing rail track is considered solely railway land. Two additional rail tracks are being constructed in the area, and the land occupied by the temple is needed to complete the project.

“Basically, 200 feet from the cast of the existing rail track is solely the land of Bangladesh Railway. This is also to mention that 02 (two) more rail tracks are being constructed under a project titled, “Construction of 3rd & 4th DG line in Dhaka-Tongi section and Doubling of Dual Gauge line in Tongi-Joydebpur section of Bangladesh Railway” and this piece of land was a dire need to complete the new lines under this project,” the statement added.

The ministry highlighted that “over the past months, repeated reminders to the illegal land occupiers went unheeded.”

The Bangladesh government emphasised its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship. However, it stressed that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible.

“On 24th and 25th June, Bangladesh Railways finally asked all to remove all the unauthorised installations, including the Puja organisers to remove the temporarily built Mandap. Finally, on 26th June, following due process, Bangladesh Railways proceeded to the peaceful eviction of all unauthorised structures along the rail track in Khilkhet area. In the course of the eviction process, the idol of the makeshift Mandap was immersed in the nearby Balu River, in due reverence, with the participation of the members of the local Hindu community,” the ministry stated.

The Bangladesh government has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights of all communities and protecting places of worship, while emphasising that building religious structures on public land without permission is not permissible.

“The removal of unauthorised structures in order to recover government land is a regular and lawful administrative activity. While the laws of the land ensure full protection to all places of worship without discriminating against any built in conformity with law, it is not permissible for anyone to build any religious structure encroaching on public land under any circumstances. The organisers of the makeshift Mandap clearly exploited the trust and goodwill of the Railway authorities by violating their own agreement,” it added.

However, minority organisations in Bangladesh held protests, condemning the demolition and alleging that the authorities did not provide prior notice to the community.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs criticised the interim government of Bangladesh for the demolition on Thursday, stating that the government failed to protect the temple and instead projected the issue as illegal land use. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that it is the responsibility of the Bangladesh government to protect Hindus, their properties, and religious institutions

MEA spokesperson Randhir said, “We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use, and they allowed the destruction of the temple today. This has resulted in damage to the Deity before it was shifted.”

“Let me underline that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus ‘ properties and religious institutions,” he added. (ANI)