ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS DEMOLISH DURGA TEMPLE IN DHAKA, HUGE PANIC AMONG HINDUS
The historic Durga temple located in the Khilkhet area of Dhaka was demolished in the early hours of Thursday morning by members of an Islamic fundamentalist group. The incident has led to widespread panic, fear, and outrage among the local Hindu population, with community leaders calling it a direct attack on religious freedom and cultural heritage.
The Bangladesh government remained a mere spectator despite the threat that was being announced for the last three days. There was no security arrangements in the vicinity of the temple and indications were that the government under Mohammed Yunus was in connivance with the Islamic fundamentalists in this demolition.
ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS4
According to eyewitness accounts and preliminary reports, a group of fundamentalists stormed the temple premises around dawn and proceeded to destroy the structure and the idol of Goddess Durga housed inside. This act of vandalism, though shocking, was not entirely unforeseen. Tensions had been brewing in the locality since June 23, when a group affiliated with a radical religious outfit publicly threatened to demolish the temple. They issued an ultimatum to vacate and remove the temple by 12 noon the next day, June 24. The temple committee had reportedly informed local authorities and sought protection but received no substantial support.
“On the night of June 23, they gathered outside the temple, shouting slogans and threatening violence if the temple was not removed,” said a member of the temple management committee, requesting anonymity due to security concerns. “We filed a complaint and informed the police, but they did not take any effective action. And now, the temple is gone.”
The Durga temple, though small in size, held deep spiritual significance for the local Hindu residents of Khilkhet. It was not just a place of worship, but also a community center where festivals, prayers, and social gatherings took place. Its destruction has left many Hindus in the area feeling unsafe and abandoned.
News coming in from #Dhaka of #Bangladesh.
The administration is demolishing Durga Temple in Khilkhet.
Earlier, the Islamists threatened to demolish the Durga Temple within 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/Siqydj0c6t
— Hindu Voice (@HinduVoice_in) June 26, 2025
“We are living in fear,” said a local school teacher and temple devotee. “This was not just an idol or a structure—they’ve attacked our faith. What’s worse is that the authorities let it happen.”
News coming in from #Dhaka of #Bangladesh.
The administration is demolishing Durga Temple in Khilkhet.
Earlier, the Islamists threatened to demolish the Durga Temple within 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/Siqydj0c6t
— Hindu Voice (@HinduVoice_in) June 26, 2025
Community leaders and human rights activists have condemned the demolition, calling it a serious failure of the state to protect religious minorities and uphold constitutional guarantees of freedom of worship. Several Hindu organizations in Dhaka and across Bangladesh have announced peaceful protests and demanded immediate arrest of those responsible.
#Bangladesh
Muhammad Yunus-led terr*orist government is demolishing Durga Temple in #Dhaka.
And the World is silent! pic.twitter.com/1kpxBMUDfX
— Hindu Voice (@HinduVoice_in) June 26, 2025
Background: A Rising Pattern of Attacks
This incident is part of a troubling trend of increasing religious intolerance in recent years in Bangladesh. Despite its secular foundations, the country has witnessed a rise in targeted violence against Hindu temples, properties, and individuals—often during religious festivals or politically sensitive times.
In October 2021, for instance, multiple Hindu temples and homes were vandalized in Comilla, Rangpur, and other districts following a rumour about the desecration of the Quran during the Durga Puja festival. The violence left several people dead and hundreds injured, and it took days for the situation to stabilize.
Over the past decade, international human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the dwindling space for religious minorities in Bangladesh. The Hindu population, which constituted nearly 13.5% of the population in the early 1970s, has reportedly shrunk to below 8% today. Many attribute this demographic decline to continued religious persecution, systemic discrimination, and emigration due to fear and insecurity.
🚨 SHOCKING 🚨
Thousands of Islamists have surrounded a Durga temple in Khilkhet, #Dhaka demanding it be removed because “seeing Durga idol is haram.” The mob even attacked the temple before police intervened. Now they’ve issued a DEADLINE: Remove it by 12 PM, June 24.
Where is… pic.twitter.com/gQ0GRbk3m7— Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus 🇧🇩 (@VHindus71) June 23, 2025
Government Reaction and Silence
As of the time of reporting, there has been no official statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs or senior government officials regarding today’s temple demolition. Local police have cordoned off the area and claimed that an investigation is underway, though they have not confirmed whether any arrests have been made.
The Bangladesh media is also maintaining a conspicuous silence till filing this report.
The silence from the ruling administration has drawn sharp criticism from civil society and opposition leaders. “This is not just about one temple,” said noted Dhaka-based lawyer and rights. “This is about the state’s failure to act decisively against extremism. Minority communities are losing their trust in the system”, she said.
In the absence of immediate protective measures, Hindu families in Khilkhet are reportedly considering relocating to other areas or even leaving the country. Many say they no longer feel safe practicing their religion openly.
As calls for justice grow louder, all eyes are now on the Bangladesh government and law enforcement agencies. Whether they respond with firm action—or continue to ignore the mounting threats faced by minorities—will determine not only the future of the Hindu community in Khilkhet but the broader question of Bangladesh’s steady and fast pace down the Afghanistan way.
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