Hindu groups staged a massive protest in Dhaka on Friday over the desecration of photos of Lord Ram in northern Bangladesh.Protesters demanded the arrest of the perpetrators and held a large torchlight procession chanting “Jai Shri Ram”. The photo was allegedly vandalized during a demonstration in Gibanda district by a group of radical Islamists opposed to the construction of an 81-foot-tall statue of Lord Ram in the Muslim-majority country.The statue is part of a temple complex in Palashbari, Gaibandhar. The proposed project is expected to cost around BDT 220 million (roughly Rs. 156 million) and also includes a 50-foot-tall statue of Lord Krishna and a 30-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva.According to Haridas Chandra Das, chairman of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple committee behind the project, construction of the statue was suspended after Islamic groups issued “threats” against those involved in the project.Das said organizers’ “fear” was one of the main reasons for the suspension and called on Bangladeshi authorities, including Prime Minister Tariq Rahman, to ensure the project can be completed safely.Temple authorities claim that Islamic groups have been creating obstacles since construction work began, prompting them to temporarily halt the project to “maintain social harmony.”Hindus, with a population of about 130 million, are Bangladesh’s largest religious minority, accounting for less than 8% of the country’s more than 170 million people.
