India on Thursday strongly condemned the demolition of a Durga temple in the Khilkhet area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, criticising the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for failing to protect minority religious institutions and instead framing the issue as one of illegal land use.

At a weekly media briefing in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed serious concern over the incident, stating that extremists were openly demanding the demolition of the temple. Instead of ensuring security and preventing the violence, the interim administration allowed the destruction to proceed.

"The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as a case of illegal land use and allowed the destruction of the temple today. This has resulted in damage to the deity before it was relocated," Jaiswal said.

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Rising Threats To Hindu Minorities

The incident is not isolated. The Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) recently flagged another case of temple vandalism in Dinajpur district, where miscreants damaged the Mahastri Manasa and Durga temples. The organisation termed it a deliberate attempt to terrorise the Hindu minority population in the country.

India's MEA reiterated that such recurring incidents raise grave concerns about the safety and rights of minorities in Bangladesh.

“We are dismayed that such incidents continue to recur in Bangladesh. It is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus, their properties, and their religious institutions,” said Jaiswal.

Bulldozer Demolition Amid Protests

Reports from Dhaka revealed that Hindu devotees gathered at the Durga temple in Khilkhet to protest against the demolition but were dispersed by army personnel. A bulldozer was then brought in to raze the structure. According to locals, the Hindu community had requested more time to shift the idols, but their pleas were ignored. Deities, including those of Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva, were crushed during the operation.

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India Links Trade Restrictions to Reciprocity

Separately, when asked about recent restrictions on Bangladeshi exports through Indian land ports, Jaiswal said the move was in line with India’s commitment to fairness and reciprocity. He added that unresolved issues raised in multiple structured dialogues with Bangladesh remain pending.

“We await resolution of the underlying issues pending with the Bangladeshi side for a long time,” he said, referring to discussions held during Commerce Secretary-level talks.