Bangladeshi Hindu students have announced a major protest in Dhaka on Friday, alleging that Lord Ram was insulted after a shoe was placed on a statue of the Hindu deity. The protest follows a 72-hour ultimatum given to the government, with students claiming no action has been taken so far. The demonstration is expected to take place at Shahbagh intersection and comes amid growing anger over a separate controversy involving the halted construction of an 81-foot Lord Ram statue in northern Bangladesh following threats from radical Islamist groups.
Students first staged a torchlight procession at Dhaka University on Tuesday and warned of a larger agitation if their demands were ignored. The protests have since spread across multiple universities, turning the issue into a wider movement among Hindu student groups.
A radical desecrated the portrait during a protest march to build a statue of Lord Ram in Gaibandha, Bangladesh.#asiaonenews #asiatop #worldhinduforum #hindunews #Hindurakshadal #bajragdal #sanatandharm #news #zeenews #indiatoday #Republicbangla #savebagladashitemple pic.twitter.com/4lYRKjrYpK
— Shanatani (@adar_paul71736) June 17, 2026
Anger grows over alleged insult and halted Ram statue project
“Our worshipped God, Lord Ram, has been insulted. It is a matter of deep pain”, Novelty Roy Uday, Convener, Bangladesh Student Unity Council, Dhaka Metropolitan South, part of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, told ANI. “Whatever happens in Bangladesh, if it continues over the next 10 years, I’m afraid the Hindu community will vanish”, he added.
The controversy has also intensified over the suspension of an 81-foot Lord Ram statue project in Palashbari, located in Gaibandha district of northern Bangladesh. According to activists, the construction work was halted after threats and opposition from radical Islamist groups.
“During the construction of a statue of Ram in Palashbari, in Gaibandha district in northern Bangladesh, a violent mob delivered hate speech”, Sushmita Kar, spokesperson and student representative of the Minority Rights Movement, told ANI.
Students warn of larger mobilisation after ultimatum expires
“Unfortunately, they carried out this act of insult against our religion”, Kar added. “We gave a 72-hour ultimatum on this matter, but we have not yet received any response from the government. We will hold a larger protest on Friday afternoon”, she said.
Student leaders said the movement began at Jagannath University before spreading to other campuses across the country. They described the growing mobilisation as a response to concerns over religious rights and dignity.
“We started our protest at Jagannath University first. Then, it became a mass revolution”, Arghya Shreshtho Das, President of the Bangladesh Student Unity Council at Jagannath University and part of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, told ANI.
Multiple Hindu groups plan demonstrations across Dhaka
Das said the protests are not only about faith but also about “our independence, our dignity, and our religious sympathies.” Ahead of the Shahbagh protest, Hindu Mohajote will organise a human chain outside the National Press Club in Dhaka on Friday morning. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has also announced a separate protest on Saturday over the same issue.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance will hold a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium in Segunbagicha on Friday. The group said it will raise concerns over alleged persecution of minorities, including murder, rape, false cases, job losses, vandalism of temples and idols, hurdles in temple construction, and religious defamation, while demanding a long-term solution to minority issues in Bangladesh.
(with inputs from ANI)
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Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
