Gaibandha Ram statue project's key organiser Haridas Chandra arrested

Haridas Chandra Taruni Das, the key organiser behind the construction of a controversial Ram idol in Gaibandha's Palashbari upazila, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in a money laundering case.

He was arrested from the Sri Sri Radha Gobinda Kali Temple area in the Middle Ramchandrapur village of Hossenpur union around 12:30 am on Monday, July 13.

Palashbari Police Station OC Sarwar Alam Khan confirmed the matter, saying Haridas was taken to Dhaka in connection with a money laundering case filed at Uttara (West) Police Station. Additional police have been deployed in the temple area, and the situation remains normal.

Local sources said Haridas, the fourth of five brothers and one sister, left for India after completing his primary education. He returned to his village in 2024 and initiated a renovation of the old Kali temple, forming a committee with himself as president.

In May 2025, the temple was renamed Sri Sri Radha Gobinda Kali Temple, and construction of an 81-foot Ram idol began. The Imam Olam Parishad raised questions over the funding source, leading the temple committee to suspend construction on June 9.

This is not Haridas's first arrest. He was previously arrested in November 2022 in connection with fraud and embezzlement, when he allegedly posed as a protocol officer for the then prime minister's family.

According to CID, Haridas passed his SSC in 2006 and HSC in 2008. He went to India illegally in 2010 and returned after receiving "education and training." He converted to Islam in 2019 and adopted the name Tawhid Islam. Since then, he allegedly posed as the protocol officer of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina at various times, showing edited photos and fake phone calls to gain credibility.