Members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh gather at the Dhakeswari Temple premises to celebrate Durga Puja and other festivals.

The ancient Sree Sree Dhakeshwari National Temple in old Dhaka stood as a symbol of religious harmony and communal unity during the political turmoil in Bangladesh that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, according to a PTI report on Saturday (24 Aug).

According to Ashim Maitro, a 53-year-old priest who has served at the temple for 15 years, members of the local community, including Hindus, Muslims, and others, came together to protect the shrine as the anti-government protests reached their peak on August 5.

"I was not feeling afraid for myself but just concerned about the safety of our old temple and idols of deities here. The temple committee members were also present and we closed the doors and the main gate," PTI quoted the priest as saying.

When Prime Minister Hasina left the country, "no visitor was here", he said, adding there was "no police force" either at that time as everything was in disarray amid political chaos.