This mosque and temple in Bangladesh have been celebrating Durga Puja and Eid together for 40 years

Standing together on the same plot for over 40 years, a mosque and a temple in Bangladesh's Narail district have been celebrating together the festivals of both religions, including Durga Puja and Eid, with equal fervour.

A mosque on one side of a plot and a temple on the other. One can find Hindus and Muslims streaming onto the plot to pray every day, painting a perfect picture of religious harmony on the banks of the Chitra River in the Mahishkhola area of Narail, Bangladesh. Continuing a 40-year-old tradition, the residents of Mahishkhola have come together again this year to celebrate Durga Puja.

For nearly four decades, Hindus and Muslims have been celebrating their festivals with respect for each other. Most importantly, participating in each others’ celebrations with gusto has become a tradition here over the years.

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The mosque — Mahishkhola Old Sub Registry Office Jame Masjid — got its name from the old sub-registry office which was situated in the area. The Masjid was established in 1974 next to that office. Later, in 1992, the mosque was renovated.

The temple — Mahishkhola Sarbojanin Puja Mandir — was established in 1980. Both the structures were built on a government plot by the locals who set out to show the strength of communal harmony.

There are three structures on the plot — the mosque, the temple and a hospital. The charitable hospital, named 'Sharif Abdul Hakim and Narail Express Hospital' — is run by former Bangladesh cricketer and Awami League leader Mashrafe bin Mortaza.