Temple demolition whitewashed: How Muhammad Yunus-led govt in Bangladesh brazenly defended demolition of Hindu temple in Dhaka

Amid tensions over brazen attacks against minorities, the Muhammad Yunus-led government of Bangladesh has shamelessly attempted to justify the demolition of a Hindu temple in Dhaka under the flimsy pretext of “removing unauthorised structures.”

A press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 27 reads less like an explanation and more like a propaganda sheet designed to gaslight both domestic minorities and the international community.

The statement comes hot on the heels of the recent destruction of a Durga temple in the Khilket area of Dhaka that has sparked concerns of security of the religious minorities in Bangladesh, a nation that has spiraled into an abyss of volatility and unrest following the undemocratic ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina last year.

The Yunus government has defended the demolition, arguing that the temple was initially a makeshift Puja Mandap established during Durga Puja 2024. However, the temple was razed down despite repeated pleas from the local Hindu community for its preservation.

Citing bureaucratic technicalities, which has often been employed to defend the untenable, the government claims the temple stood on “undisputed Railway land” and was only permitted temporarily. But the same press release conveniently admits that hundreds of illegal shops, political party offices, and other encroachments have long existed on the same stretch of Railway land.

Yet, it was the religious symbol of the harrassed minorities—Hindus—a community that has long been at the receiving end of fanatics sheltered and encouraged by the Yunus regime. The temple in demolition in Dhaka was satisfy the bloodlust among the Islamists who want to purge the country of its Hindu and Christian minorities, evident from the spate of attacks faced by the minorities under the Yunus administration.

Even more shocking is the government’s proud declaration that the Kali idol from the demolished temple was “immersed in the Balu River with participation of the Hindu community.” In reality, this so-called “participation” was under the shadow of state machinery dismantling their place of worship, which could hardly be branded as a voluntary or respectful act.

However, this pattern of betraying Hindus and attacking their faith is nothing new. Under Yunus’s leadership, attacks on temples, desecrations of idols, and land grabs from Hindus have escalated unabated, all while the government hides behind the veneer of “lawful administrative activities.” The claim that Bangladesh “remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights of all communities” is nothing but a diplomatic smokescreen, easily contradicted by the growing insecurity faced by Hindus in the country.

The demolition at Khilkhet follows a worrying trend where temples and minority religious structures are targeted under the pretext of clearing encroachment or land regularisation. However, structures affiliated with politically connected groups or the majority community somehow escape this legal scrutiny, exposing the jarring hypocrisy of the system.

Perhaps, the most insulting is the press release’s arrogant call for the public to “refrain from reacting on any matter disregarding facts.” But the facts are already clear: a Hindu temple was demolished, idols desecrated, and the government’s response reeks of apathy, justification, and victim-blaming.

As the Yunus regime parades its so-called commitment to religious harmony before the world, the reality for Bangladesh’s Hindus is one of fear, erasure, and institutional betrayal.

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