Bangladeshi students plan mass protest over desecration of Lord Ram

The unrest began after a mob placed a shoe on a statue of Lord Ram, an act student leaders describe as a direct assault on the dignity of the Hindu community. The incident in Gaibandha, where radical groups halted the construction of an 81-foot statue, has galvanized students across multiple campuses, starting with Jagannath University and spreading to Dhaka University. Novelty Roy Uday, a convener with the Bangladesh Student Unity Council, warned that the current climate of religious intolerance threatens the long-term presence of Hindus in the country.

Demands for government intervention remain unmet as the protest movement expands. Beyond the Friday afternoon rally, the Hindu Mohajote plans a human chain at the National Press Club, while the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance has scheduled a press conference to highlight broader grievances. These include reports of systematic persecution, temple vandalism, and professional discrimination against religious minorities. Student leaders maintain that the demonstrations transcend immediate religious sentiments, framing the movement as a defense of their fundamental rights and social standing within Bangladesh.