Members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh staged a protest in several districts on Saturday after an image of the deity Ram was allegedly desecrated earlier this month during demonstrations against the construction of a temple, reported The Daily Star.

Work was underway to construct a temple dedicated to Ram and an 81-foot statue of the deity in Gaibandha district of northern Bangladesh, according to ANI. However, the construction was halted after the temple committee allegedly received threats.

“We are stopping this work to maintain law and order and communal harmony,” Shyamlal Kumar Mahanta, an advisor to the committee, was quoted as saying by NDTV. “We do not want to become the cause of any dispute, nor do we wish to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments.”

Hindu groups later alleged that a mob had thrown a shoe at a picture of deity Ram during demonstrations against the construction of the temple earlier this month.

A case had been filed against the alleged desecration. However, no arrests have been made yet, according to NDTV.

On Friday, Hindu groups held a torchlight procession in Dhaka, demanding that those who allegedly desecrated the picture be punished.

The protests expanded to Barishal, Munshiganj and Satkhira districts on Saturday, reported The Daily Star.

The groups had on Friday issued a 72-hour ultimatum demanding the arrest of the accused persons. A memorandum is also expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Sunday, according to ANI.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, one of the Hindu organisations part of the protests, also called for peaceful and democratic demonstrations on Sunday.

Edited by Sneha.