News Desk - Thousands of Hindus marched through central Dhaka on Friday, June 19, 2026, in a massive protest demanding action over the alleged desecration of a Lord Ram image and the halting of an 81-foot statue project, turning the Shahbagh intersection into a sea of demonstrators chanting Jai Shri Ram.

The protest erupted after radical Islamists desecrated a picture of Lord Ram during a demonstration in Gaibandha district, where they were opposing construction of what is planned to be Bangladesh's tallest statue of the deity an 81-foot Ram statue at the Radha-Gobinda Temple in Palashbari upazila. The Sri Sri Radha Govinda Temple committee subsequently halted construction of the statue, claiming threats from Islamist groups, while a case has been filed but no arrests have been made so far.

Hindu organisations, students, and minority rights groups gathered at the key Shahbagh intersection and marched to the National Press Club, carrying saffron flags, banners, and placards while repeatedly chanting "Jai Shri Ram". Another section staged a protest near the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) building, while in Rangpur, police stopped Hindus from holding a demonstration, resulting in a minor scuffle. Protesters have issued a 72-hour ultimatum and warned of wider agitation if action is not taken, with the National Committee for Puja Celebrations announcing a nationwide agitation that will continue on Saturday.

The protests have renewed focus on minority rights concerns in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where Hindus make up about 8 percent of the population and face growing insecurity in practising and expressing their faith freely. As security forces remain deployed in key parts of Dhaka to prevent escalation, the controversy underscores broader challenges faced by Bangladesh's Hindu community amid continuing debates over religious freedoms and protection against extremist elements.