Bangladesh urges restraint, vows to protect communities, worship places

Bangladesh on Friday urged all to refrain from reacting to any matter disregarding the facts and ground realities, stressing that the country remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights of all communities, including the protection of worship places.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a media release said nothing has ever constrained Bangladesh to uphold its syncretic tradition where every citizen can – and does – live and prosper freely irrespective of one’s faith or belief, in an inclusive and open society.

The MoFA says the attention of the government of Bangladesh has been drawn to media reports alleging the destruction of a Durga temple at Khilkhet in Dhaka.

The fact remains that last year during Durga Puja, without having prior permission, the local Hindu community installed makeshift Puja Mandap on a piece of land that is undisputedly owned by Bangladesh Railways, it says.

Later, the Railways 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. In spite of repeated reminders, they unfortunately took initiative to make the Mandap permanent, disregarding their own arrangement with the Railways authorities, MoFA says.

In December 2024, Railways 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 either sides of the rail tracks owned by Bangladesh Railway in the area. Basically, 200 feet from the east of the existing rail track is solely the land of Bangladesh Railway, the ministry says.

This is also to mention that 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.

Over the past months, repeated reminders to the illegal land occupiers went unheeded to, the ministry says.

On June 24 and 25, Bangladesh Railways finally asked all to remove all the unauthorised installations, including the Puja organisers to remove the temporarily built the Mandap.

Finally, on June 26, following due process, Bangladesh Railways proceeded to peaceful eviction of all unauthorised structures along the rail track in Khilkhet area, the Ministry said.

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 local Hindu community, the ministry says.

It says 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 any to build any religious structure encroaching public land under any circumstances, the ministry says.

The organisers of the makeshift Mandap clearly exploited the trust and goodwill of the Railway authorities by violating their own agreement.