Tensions and protests have escalated across Bangladesh after the alleged desecration of an image of Lord Ram during a demonstration by Islamist groups opposing the construction of a giant statue of the Hindu deity in Gaibandha district. Thousands of Hindus took to the streets in Dhaka on Friday carrying torches, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and demanding action against those allegedly responsible, amid growing concerns over religious intolerance and communal harmony.The torchlight march marked the latest and largest expression of anger from Bangladesh’s Hindu community, with participants vowing to expand demonstrations nationwide. The protests come as authorities continue to keep the construction of the proposed statue on hold, a decision that has drawn criticism from Hindu groups and community leaders.Commenting on the demonstrations, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor of the Bangladeshi newspaper Blitz, wrote on X, “Hindus in Bangladesh roar against Islamists by chanting the ‘Jay Shri Ram’ slogan! Thousands of Hindus in Bangladesh went into the streets holding torches and chanting the ‘Jay Shri Ram’ slogan against the recent notoriety of Islamists against the Sanatan Complex in the Gaibandha district under the Rangpur division as well as disrespecting the portraits of Lord Ram. They have declared spreading such protest throughout the country and for the first time vowed to fight back.”The unrest follows a series of demonstrations organised by Hindu groups and students over the alleged desecration of Lord Ram’s image in Gaibandha. Earlier this week, students from Dhaka University held a torchlight procession and rally, demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of those accused of carrying out the act.Addressing the gathering, Ram Prasad Saha Topu, social welfare secretary of the Jagannath Hall Students’ Union, said, “Recently, one extremist group spread rumors involving Lord Ram, and then another extremist group hit the image of our revered deity with shoes. These acts have hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community,” Daily Star reported.“We want people of all religions and communities to live in harmony. But a certain group is trying to create division among us, and that force must be resisted,” he added.The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has also condemned the alleged desecration and threats directed at an idol of Lord Ram at the Radha-Gobinda Temple in Palashbari upazila. The organisation urged the government to take firm action against those responsible and called for immediate arrests and exemplary punishment to preserve communal harmony and social stability.The controversy intensified after Bangladeshi authorities ordered the suspension of construction of what was planned to be the world’s largest statue of Lord Ram at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Kali Temple in Palashbari, Gaibandha district. The decision was announced last week by temple adviser Shyamal Kumar Mahant during a press conference at the temple auditorium.The suspension triggered strong reactions from sections of the Hindu community, with critics alleging that the move was made under pressure from Islamist groups opposed to the project.The dispute over the proposed statue and the subsequent allegations of desecration have since fuelled a broader debate over religious freedom and minority rights in Bangladesh, with Hindu organisations warning that communal tensions could deepen unless authorities act decisively against those accused of provoking unrest.
