A fatwa was issued to cut down the Banyan tree, as it symbolised Hindus’ religious faith

Muslim fanatics felled a 200-year-old Banyan tree in Bangladesh

Muslims cutting down a tree using a large saw

Dhaka (Bangladesh) – Alam Mir Kandi village in Shirkhara Union, Madaripur District, a 200-year-old banyan tree was felled by Muslim fanatics. A fatwa was issued to cut down the tree as it symbolised Hindus’ faith. The cutting down of the tree is seen on a social media video. Some Muslims can be seen using huge saws to cut down the tree.

1.According to the local Hindus, it was not only a 200-year-old tree, it was also a living symbol of the local Hindus’ faith and cultural heritage. Local folk lores, religious stories and worship revolved around this tree for decades. The villagers believed that the tree had miraculous power. Having this faith, they would light lamps under this tree and ask for blessings.

2.A few days ago, the local Muslim Clerics called a meeting and decided that this tradition is Shirk i.e. against the fundamental tenets of Islam. Therefore, the tree must be cut down. A villager said, “we never harmed anyone. Lighting a diya under the tree was our faith and it did not mean insult to any other religion. A discussion could have helped if it was wrong. Cutting down a tree is like destroying our soul.”

A century-old sacred banyan tree, revered by the Hindu community and home to a Shiva idol, was brutally cut down by Muhammad Yunus’s Islamist extremist group. Labeling it as “shirk,” they erased a symbol of devotion and trampled on the fundamental right to religious freedom.… pic.twitter.com/vZXVW6C4ls

— Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus 🇧🇩 (@VHindus71) May 6, 2025

Editorial Perspective

In Bangladesh where Hindus are being killed, it is not surprising that sacred trees for Hindus are felled. Such incidents reiterate the fact that Hindus and Muslims can never be cordial.