Local reports indicate that the historic Sri Shiv & Kali Temple atop Lalmai Hill in Comilla (Cumilla), Bangladesh, has been forcibly taken over by an Islamist group. Despite pleas from the Hindu community, police have done nothing to protect the sacred site—leaving worshippers in shock and asking: Where is the justice?
⛪ Widespread Attacks on Hindu Heritage and Livelihoods
Recent years have seen a troubling surge in communal violence against Bangladesh’s Hindu minority:
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2024 post-government unrest: Over 2,010 incidents of violence from August to December, including 152 temples damaged and 157 homes/businesses destroyed en.wikipedia.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3apnews.com+3.
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Widespread arson and looting: Across 27+ districts, Hindu-owned businesses, homes, and temples were ransacked or burned .
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Targeted attacks during festivals: In 2021, approximately 80 temples were vandalized during Durga Puja celebrations, leading to deaths and hundreds injured organiser.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4en.wikipedia.org+4.
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Recent extremists activity: In locations such as Sherpur and Comilla, Hindu neighborhoods have witnessed temple burnings, business destruction, kidnappings, and sexual violence financesaathi.com+2indiatvnews.com+2hrcb.org+2.
📉 Patterns of Forced Conversion and Systematic Discrimination
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Religious coercion and rape: A 2022 report documented 152 forced conversions, with over 300 temples vandalized, alongside widespread sexual violence—39 minority women raped—and 173 businesses attacked opindia.com+1hrcb.org+1.
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Legal impunity: In most incidents, no arrests or convictions have been made, and law enforcement often fails to protect minorities en.wikipedia.org+15ndtv.com+15opindia.com+15.
Despite legislation safeguarding religious freedom and minority rights, implementation is powerless. Perpetrators—ranging from extremist factions to community mobs—face no accountability, and victims are left vulnerable and unheard.
📢 This Is a Crisis of Human Rights in Bangladesh
The occupation of the Lalmai temple, along with the widespread destruction of Hindu properties, is not random—it is part of a systemic campaign of religious cleansing and intimidation.
We call on:
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Bangladeshi authorities to immediately retake Sri Shiv & Kali Temple, and provide long-term security for all Hindu sites.
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Police and judiciary to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, ensuring justice for victims.
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Global human rights organizations to intervene and monitor the escalating threats to religious minorities.
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International media and civil society to amplify the voices of Bangladeshi Hindus and demand solidarity, not silence.
🛑 **No temple should be under siege.
No business or home should burn under religious hatred.
No life should be lost over faith.*
#SaveBangladeshiHindus #ProtectLalmaiTemple #StopCommunalViolence #ReligiousFreedom
For more updates and detailed coverage of this case and other issues affecting the Hindu and Sindhi communities in Sindh, Pakistan, stay tuned to Sindh Renaissance.
