Overview

• Bangladesh Railway authorities backed by police and military razed the makeshift Durga mandap on June 26, citing illegal encroachment on railway land.
• The interim government said the idol was immersed in the nearby Balu River with due reverence and framed the action as routine land-recovery governance.
• Hindu and minority groups organised nationwide shutdowns and human chains in areas such as Shahbagh to condemn the temple’s destruction.
• India’s Ministry of External Affairs condemned Dhaka for allowing extremist pressure to override protection of Hindu properties and institutions.
• The incident has strained bilateral ties as New Delhi urges minority safeguards and Dhaka reaffirms its legal justification while pledging to protect all communities’ rights.