Minority Rights Under Threat: Bangladesh Hindu Group Seeks Protection for Sacred Sites.

Bangladesh Minority Group Urges Government to Protect Sanctity of Hindu Pilgrimage Sites.

Therte are several attempts to encroach on the sacred land of Chandranath Dham in Sitakunda, Chittagong, a holy pilgrimage site for the Hindu community worldwide in order to make a Mosque there by some Jihadi groups. 

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi | The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has strongly condemned 🔗 attempts to encroach on the sacred land of Chandranath Dham in Sitakunda, Chittagong, a holy pilgrimage site for the Hindu community worldwide in order to make a Mosque there by some Jihadi groups. The controversy began with a Facebook post by Mufti SM Saiful Islam, claiming a 90% confirmed mosque on Sitakunda mountain, sparking deep concern among the Hindu community.

The Controversy

The post, which also mentioned plans to build a mosque at the base of a banyan tree below the temple, has created apprehension among the Hindu public. Mufti Harun Ezahar, son of Mufti Ezaharul Islam, founding director general of Jamiatul Uloom Al Islamia Madrasa, is allegedly involved in the plan.

Call for Action

The Unity Council has urged the government, administration, and army to take immediate steps to prevent attempts to disrupt communal harmony and ensure no undesirable situation is created around Chandranath Dham. This call for action follows recent incidents, including the demolition of a Durga temple in Dhaka’s Khilkhet area by Bangladesh Railway authorities.

Temple Demolition

The demolition, which sparked widespread outrage among the local Hindu community and minority groups, was carried out citing illegal construction on railway land. However, the temple committee claims they had obtained permission to celebrate Durga Puja on the premises. According to the temple committee secretary Arjun Roy, “They demolished everything today without giving us a prior notice. We are very disheartened over the incident.”

Allegations of Mob Attack

Committee members alleged that on Monday night, a mob of more than 500 people, armed with sticks, surrounded the temple while worshippers were inside. Minority organisations condemned the demolition, alleging that the authorities acted without issuing prior notice to the community.

Government Response

Bangladesh Railway’s Dhaka divisional estate officer, Md Nasir Uddin Mahmud, stated that the demolition began at around 10 am and included various illegal establishments on railway land. He claimed that the temple had not taken formal permission from the authorities.

Condemnation from Minority Organisations

The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the Mahanagor Sarbojanin Puja Committee, and the Minority Rights Movement issued separate statements condemning both the mob attack and the demolition of the temple.

International Concerns

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, an internationally acclaimed journalist, highlighted the threat to Hindu minority’s religious rights in Bangladesh in his article, 🔗”From Sitakunda to Maheshkhali: How ISI and Lashkar-e-Taiba are waging war on Hindu temples in Bangladesh“. It is alarming  that no rights forum, including Amnesty, UN Human Rights Council, or the Government of India, has taken steps to save the religious rights of persecuted minorities in Bangladesh.

Yunus Unmoved

The situation around Chandranath Dham and the recent temple demolition have raised concerns about the safety and rights of minority communities in Bangladesh. The government’s response will be crucial in addressing these concerns and preventing further disruptions to communal harmony.

The present undemocratic interim government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus has taken a concerning role in directly or indirectly supporting the Islamist mob’s advances on attacks against Hindus and Hindu holy sites. This perceived jihadi inclination of the Yunus government poses a significant threat to the safety and existence of Bangladesh’s minority communities, potentially even threatening their extinction.
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_Inputs from ANI, Sanatan TV and Blitz.