In broad daylight, the historic Gangabari Temple in South Raozan, Chattogram—located beside the Kaptai-Chattogram Road—has been forcibly seized by a powerful local land grabber, Md. Hanif. He has begun constructing illegal tin structures inside the temple premises, blatantly encroaching on sacred ground.
According to local residents, the administration remained completely silent during the takeover. Not only was there no resistance, but complaints made to authorities were also ignored, offering no remedy or justice.
Article 41 of the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees every citizen the right to freely practice their religion. Similarly, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights upholds this right on the international stage.
So, the question looms large: Are minorities now unsafe even in their own homeland? Have state institutions become the shield for land grabbers and violators?
This is not merely the seizure of a temple—it is a stark case of religious persecution, constitutional violation, and a blatant failure of state morality.
