Students of Jagannath University (JnU) in Bangladesh inaugurated a temple on campus late Tuesday night following a day-long protest against the construction of a toilet on land proposed for the temple site.
Sanatani (Hindu) students staged a sit-in demonstration from noon to late evening at the university’s open stage, demanding the establishment of a central temple on campus. When the university administration did not respond to their demands, the students proceeded to perform the foundation ceremony themselves around 11:00 pm, using religious images and worship materials.
According to student leaders, the demand for a temple had been raised repeatedly over a long period, but the administration instead initiated the construction of a toilet on the designated land, which they described as disrespectful to religious sentiments.
During the protest, students raised slogans asserting their right to a temple and criticizing the university authorities. They also announced that they would stay overnight at the site as part of their movement.
Student representatives noted that despite the presence of nearly 2,700 Sanatani students at the university, there is still no central temple on campus, despite multiple memoranda submitted to the administration.
The incident also sparked reactions on social media, where some student leaders and cultural activists criticized the decision to build a toilet on the temple site, calling it insensitive and emphasizing the responsibility of public universities to ensure religious freedom for students of all faiths.
Attempts to contact the university’s vice-chancellor and student union leaders for comments were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to phone calls.
