Bangladesh authorities have halted the building of the world’s biggest statue of Lord Ram at the Sri Sri Radha Govinda and Kali Temple in Palashbari upazila of Gaibandha district. The suspension was announced by temple advisor Shyamal Kumar Mahant during a press conference at the temple auditorium. This decision has triggered backlash, with critics claiming it succumbed to pressure from anti-project Islamist factions.
Exiled Bangladeshi author and human rights activist Taslima Nasreen strongly criticized the threats and hostility surrounding the Ram temple construction. Nasreen questioned the targeting of a single Hindu place of worship in a country with numerous mosques. She emphasized the need for religious freedom to extend equally to minorities, not just the majority. Nasreen highlighted the alarming history of attacks on Hindu temples in Palashbari, leaving the Hindu community vulnerable.
Nasreen further questioned why the construction of a single temple in Bangladesh is perceived as a threat by some Muslims when other Muslim-majority countries host large Hindu temples without issue. Meanwhile, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor of the Bangladeshi newspaper ‘Blitz,’ expressed serious concerns over the construction halt due to pressure from Islamist extremist groups.
