External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, reacting to the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, said that the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government is responsible for protecting all the citizens of the country, including the minorities. The comments of Jaishankar come after the continuous attacks on the Hindu communities and the places of worship. He also mentioned the ongoing challenges faced by the minority in Bangladesh since August 2024 after Sheikh Haseena fled the country.
Jaishankar said that the government has seen the reports of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, their homes and business establishments, and of attacks on temples/religious places, including in the month of August 2024, across Bangladesh. He mentioned the serious note of these incidents.
The external affairs minister pointed out that the reports of violence against Hindus and other minorities, especially during the Durga Puja festival, had been a cause for concern.
"Government have taken serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the Government of Bangladesh. Reports of attacks on temples and puja mandaps also came to light during the recent Durga Puja festival in Bangladesh. Government had expressed its serious concerns regarding the attack on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka and theft at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple at Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024," Jaishankar said as quoted by ANI.
"Following these attacks, the Government of Bangladesh had issued instructions for providing special security including deployment of Army and Border Guards Bangladesh to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja. The High Commission of India in Dhaka continues to monitor the situation related to the minorities in Bangladesh closely. The primary 3 responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, rests with the Government of Bangladesh," he further added.
Earlier in the day, MEA said that India urged the interim Bangladesh government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, asserting that New Delhi remains concerned with the increasing extremist rhetoric and incidents of violence in the country.
"India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. Our position on the matter is very clear. The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the weekly media briefing.
The MEA's strong reaction came on a day when Bangladesh's Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to 17 Hindus, including jailed Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, for 30 days. Das, a spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25 and sent to jail by a Chittagong court a day later on charges of sedition.
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(With input from agencies)