Kovind inaugurates renovated Ramna Kali Mandir

Visiting Indian President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the newly refurbished building of Ramna Kali temple in capital Dhaka.

He inaugurated the renovated building on Friday by unveiling a plaque. The Indian president also offered puja at the temple.

He also exchanged greetings with the invited guests, the temple committee members and the devotees.

Kovind came to Dhaka Wednesday on a three-day visit to join the birth centenary celebrations of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee celebration of Bangladesh's Independence. He is scheduled to leave for New Delhi Friday afternoon.

“Sri Sri Ramna Kali Mandir and Srima Anandamayi Ashram was completely destroyed by the Pakistani forces during heinous Operation Searchlight in 1971,” the temple’s executive committee President Utpal Saha said earlier.

He said that the centuries-old temple was destroyed and many houses on temple premises came under attack and residents were brutally killed during the Operation Searchlight of the Pakistan army.

Utpal said the temple was renovated at the funding of Indian government with the help of the Bangladesh government.

The renovation comes 50 years after the independence of Bangladesh as none who came in power after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took any initiative for renovation.

"When Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina assumed office as the prime minister, we got the opportunity to perform worship here without any obstacles from police," he said.

Utpal said the initiative to get the temple-cum-hermitage facelift was possible as Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina is in power.

He said there is a memorable plaque with inscription of the names of those who were martyred on the premises of the temple during Liberation War in 1971.