Why is there an uproar in Bangladesh over Lord Ram statue?

Once completed, it would have been the largest statue of Lord Ram in Bangladesh, standing at 81 feet. However, the construction of the statue, already around 80% completed, has been halted following threats from radical Islamist outfits. The development comes after weeks of sustained pressure on social media, with Islamist preachers calling for the statue's demolition. It has not only sparked protests from the Hindu community but also renewed concerns over religious freedom and minority rights in Bangladesh under Tarique Rahman.

The controversy comes at a time when tensions between India and Bangladesh have resurfaced. Earlier this week, the Bangladesh Prime Minister's adviser, Zahed Ur Rahman, was briefly stopped by immigration authorities at the Delhi airport. It was due to his history of combative remarks against India. Rahman abandoned his India visit, with Dhaka lodging a strong protest with Delhi over the "humiliating treatment".

Moreover, as a gesture of goodwill, former PM Sheikh Hasina used to send mangoes to Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee. This year, while Tarique Rahman has sent a consignment to Nepal, it is not known whether he intends to continue the tradition with India.

WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY OVER LORD RAM STATUE?

It is against the backdrop of this unease in ties that the controversy surrounding the Lord Ram statue has drawn widespread attention.

The statue of Lord Ram was being constructed as part of a temple complex in Palashbari in Bangladesh's northern Gaibandha district. The proposed project, whose estimated cost is around 220 million taka (Rs 15.6 crore), includes the construction of an 81-foot statue of Lord Ram, a 50-foot statue of Lord Krishna and a 30-foot statue of Lord Shiva.

Haridas Chandra Das, president of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple committee, which is behind the project, said the Lord Ram statue was being built as a tribute to one of the central figures of Sanatan Dharma.

However, Das said work has been paused after Islamist groups issued threats against those involved in the project. He said fear among organisers was one of the key reasons construction had been halted, and appealed to the Bangladeshi PM to ensure the project was completed.

READ IN BANGLA HERE

Temple committee adviser Shyamlal Kumar Mahanta said in a statement that the decision was taken to "preserve social harmony".

"We are stopping this work to maintain law and order and communal harmony. We do not want to become the cause of any dispute, nor do we wish to hurt anyone's religious sentiments," Mahanta said.

He said that everyone in Bangladesh had the right to practice their religion. Echoing an often-used statement by Tarique Rahman, Mahanta said, "Religion is personal, but the state belongs to all".

In fact, in his first national address as Prime Minister, Rahman declared that religion was for individuals, but the country "belongs to all". The message came amid an uptick in attacks on Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh.

However, the recent development raises a pertinent question. If the country belongs to everyone, why are Hindus unable to build statues of their deities?

LORD RAM IMAGE DESECRATED, HINDUS PROTEST

Temple authorities said Islamist groups had been creating hurdles ever since the construction of the Lord Ram statue began over a year ago. Demands were also made to investigate the funding source for the project.

More recently, an image of Lord Ram was desecrated during a protest march by Islamists in Gaibandha.

In response to the incident, students at Dhaka University held a massive torchlight procession on Tuesday and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the alleged desecration. The students also demanded that the construction of the Lord Ram statue be resumed. The protesters also blocked traffic at the key Shahbagh intersection, leading to chaos.

"For us, Lord Ram is an incarnation. The act of throwing a shoe at his image has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the Sanatan community," Ram Prasad Saha of the Jagannath Hall Students' Union said.

The students claimed that religious minorities in Bangladesh often face discrimination when seeking justice and protection.

In fact, according to the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, 133 incidents of communal violence were recorded between January 1 and March 31 this year.

The council, one of Bangladesh's leading minority organisations, has urged the Tarique Rahman-led government to take immediate action against threats to the Radha Govinda Temple.

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen said calls to demolish the Lord Ram statue reflected a "Taliban-like mindset". In a lengthy post on X, Nasreen questioned why its construction should face such intense opposition when new mosques continue to mushroom elsewhere in Bangladesh.

"If religious freedom is truly for everyone, then it should apply equally to minorities, not only to the majority," she said.

"No individual or group acquires the right to demolish another community's place of worship simply because they dislike it," Nasreen further tweeted.

The incident has again reignited debate over Bangladesh's handling of religious sensitivities and the rights of minority communities. Whether the suspended Ram temple project resumes will serve as an indicator of how Tarique Rahman deals with the protection of minority rights.

- Ends