President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday (17 December) inaugurated renovated historic Ramna Kali temple in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

The temple was destroyed by Pakistani Army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

After the inauguration, President Kovind said that the governments and people of Bangladesh and India helped in restoring the temple which was demolished by Pakistani forces during the war of liberation, according to a President's Secretariat release.

He added that a large number of people were killed by the occupation forces. He said that this temple is a symbol of the spiritual and cultural bonding among the people of India and Bangladesh.

President Kovind also performed puja at the renovated temple. He also exchanged greetings with the invited guests, the temple committee members and the devotees, reports Dhaka Tribune.

Temple’s executive committee President Utpal Saha was quoted in the report as saying that the Pakistani armed forces completely destroyed “Sri Sri Ramna Kali Mandir and Srima Anandamayi Ashram" during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

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.

President Kovind came to Dhaka Wednesday on a three-day visit to join the Golden Jubilee celebration of Bangladesh's Independence.