Bangladesh: Islamists in large numbers entering the Hindu pilgrimage site Chandranath Temple, chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and terrorising Hindus

Amid ongoing Hindu persecution in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Islamists are now trying to infiltrate the sacred Hindu pilgrimage site, the Chandranath Temple. Islamists allegedly are coming to the holy site, chanting Islamic slogans like ‘Allahu akbar’ and other slogans, resulting in terrorising Hindu pilgrims.

The Chandranath Temple is situated in the Chattagram Hill Tracks area and is considered a highly sacred place to Hindus. The temple is also considered as Shakti Peeth. Every year, many Hindu minorities of Bangladesh pilgrimage to the temple. The Hindu pilgrims must climb a long hill road on foot to visit the temple. 

But, for the past few years, Islamists have been trying to destroy the sanctity of the place. Islamists from different districts of Bangladesh are coming to the sacred place. They organise picnics, cook meat and organise drinking parties. They are just treating the holy place as a picnic spot. Several tour operators also organise special trips to the adjacent hills and forests, which are posing severe threats to the sanctity of the Hindu temple. 

Recently, a video went viral on the Social media platform X. In the video, it can be seen that large numbers of Islamists are running on the hill road, shouting Islamic slogans like ‘Allahu akbar’. The Hindu pilgrims on the road are seen terrorised. It is also alleged that Islamists are also coming and doing Namaz in the nearby places of the temple.

However, the local administration had issued a particular order banning picnics in the nearby places of the temple. But the video clearly shows that Islamists didn’t take the order seriously.