29 October, 2026 – Pirojpur, Bangladesh: A local Jamaat-e-Islami leader has been accused of forcibly occupying 42 decimals of land belonging to a historic Hindu temple, threatening members of the Sanatan Hindu community, and spreading defamatory propaganda against them in Nesarabad Upazila of Pirojpur district.
The allegations were raised at a press conference held on Tuesday at Samudaykathi Bazar, organised by the temple committee and local residents. The complainants called for the immediate recovery of the temple property, an impartial investigation into the alleged land grab, and comprehensive protection for the lives, property, and religious freedom of the minority community.
Manoj Biswas, president of the temple committee and a co-sharer of the land, presented a written statement at the press conference. According to him, 42 decimals of land were donated in 1962 for the religious activities and regular use of the Samudaykathi Dakshinpara Sarbojanin Shri Shri Shitala Mata Temple.
He stated that the land had been used for religious purposes for approximately 64 years and was duly recorded under plot No. 952 in the latest government BS record, Khatian No. 130.
However, in 2016, Md. Shafiqul Islam Howlader, president of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ward No. 1 unit in Samudaykathi Union, allegedly filed a civil lawsuit concerning the property without disclosing the relevant information from the latest BS land records. The complainants further claimed that a deed executed by Shafiqul Islam and his brother in 1999 made no mention of the 42 decimals of land belonging to the temple.
The speakers alleged that an ex parte court judgment was obtained without properly informing the actual owners and temple authorities, raising concerns about the alleged misuse of legal proceedings. These claims have not been independently verified.
According to the complainants, the situation escalated following the political changeover on August 5, 2024. They alleged that Shafiqul Islam entered the land and began cultivating paddy across the entire 42 decimals despite his own mutation records reportedly covering only 10.50 decimals.
Recently, local Hindu residents and concerned citizens reportedly attempted to resist the alleged encroachment by putting up a signboard identifying the property as belonging to the Shri Shri Shitala Mata Temple.
The complainants also alleged that local members of the Sanatan Hindu community have since faced repeated intimidation and threats for protesting against the occupation. They further claimed that fake social media accounts and artificial intelligence (AI) technology had been used to spread offensive propaganda and conduct alleged campaigns against the Hindu community.
Among those present at the press conference were Tutul Aich, general secretary of the temple committee; Shekhar Baroi, general secretary of the Samudaykathi Radha Krishna Sebashram; social worker Mujibur Rahman; agriculturalist Barun Kar; Zakir Hossain Khan; Sumon Khan; and Mariam Begum.
Local residents from different religious backgrounds said they had witnessed the observance of the sacred Shitala Puja on the land since their childhood, underscoring the site’s longstanding religious significance to the community.
The complainants urged the relevant authorities to intervene immediately, investigate the allegations impartially, restore the temple’s property in accordance with the law, and ensure the safety and religious freedom of the local Hindu community.
