India Slams Bangladesh Interim Government Over Demolition of Durga Temple in Dhaka’s Khilkhet

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has sharply criticised the interim government of Bangladesh for allowing the demolition of the Khilkhet Sarbajanin Durga Mandir in Dhaka, an incident that has sparked outrage and deep concern in India.

During the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed strong disapproval of the act, stating that extremist groups had called for the demolition, and instead of safeguarding the temple, the authorities labelled it a case of illegal land use and permitted its destruction.

“We understand that extremists were clamouring for the demolition of the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka. The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, portrayed the episode as a case of illegal land use and permitted the destruction of the temple today,” Jaiswal said.

He further revealed that the idol of the deity was damaged before it could be relocated, highlighting the lack of sensitivity shown by the authorities involved.

The MEA spokesperson also underlined the repeated targeting of Hindu religious institutions in Bangladesh and reminded Dhaka of its responsibility to protect minority communities and their places of worship.

“It is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and their religious institutions,” he added.

Earlier in the day, a Hindu group had assembled at the temple in a peaceful protest against the planned demolition. However, army personnel reportedly dispersed the crowd, and a bulldozer was deployed to raze the temple, crushing idols of Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva in the process. The local Hindu community had requested more time to relocate the deities, but their appeal was ignored.