It is deeply concerning that a 200-year-old Buddhist temple in Teknaf remains occupied even after 10 years have passed since it was vandalised and encroached upon. According to a report by The Daily Star, the temple came under attack in 2010 when a group of thugs led by two local Awami League leaders seized 11 acres of land belonging to it, before assaulting the monks there and desecrating and plundering around 18 ancient Buddha statues. Since then, the partly demolished temple and surrounding areas have been under the possession of the two accused—the current chairman of the Hnila union and also president of the local AL unit, and his brother.

Dakkhin Hnila Boro Bouddha Bihar is the first Buddhist temple built in Teknaf. It now lies unprotected, uncared-for, and its original owners—Buddhist monks and worshippers—dispossessed of their sacred ground. Through their acts and continued occupation, the perpetrators have set not just another example of what happens where unchecked greed meets unchecked power. It is a testament to the vulnerabilities faced by minorities in general, and also exemplifies the threat and negligence facing many historic/cultural sites in the country. In recent years, we have come across many such stories where members of a certain minority community were either driven away from their ancestral land, or faced violence by reactionary forces, or saw their sacred places razed to the ground. Often, these incidents are met with lukewarm response from the authorities, and attempts are also made to discredit the victims. It is all the more unfortunate when members of the ruling party, which has a mandate to protect all citizens irrespective of religion, are found to be involved in these heinous crimes.

We urge the authorities to take immediate steps to reclaim the Teknaf temple and its land and hand them over to their original owners. It's really troubling to see that such a brazen act of aggression has been tolerated for so long. The government must bring those responsible for the demolition and occupation of the temple to justice, and send a clear message to the communal forces that no one can get away with committing such crimes.