The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday expressed grave concern over what it described as “unremitting hostility” against minorities in Bangladesh, strongly condemning the recent killing of a Hindu youth and calling for strict action against those responsible.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government was deeply disturbed by the continued violence targeting minority communities in the neighbouring country. “The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh is a matter of great concern. We condemn the recent killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh and expect that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice,” he said.
The MEA’s reaction follows the lynching of Amrit Mondal, a Hindu man, in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district on Wednesday over alleged extortion charges. This marked the second such incident in recent days. Earlier, on December 18, another young Hindu, Deepu Chandra Das, was brutally lynched by a mob.
Rejecting what it termed a “false anti-India narrative” circulating in Bangladesh, Jaiswal reiterated that maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the country’s interim government. He said India is closely monitoring the situation and remains concerned about continued hostility towards minorities, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists.
“More than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities have been documented during the tenure of the interim government. These incidents cannot be brushed aside as media exaggerations or dismissed as political violence,” he added.
Responding to a query on the possible return of BNP leader Tarique Rahman after 17 years ahead of elections scheduled for February next year, Jaiswal said India supports free and fair polls in Bangladesh and that the development should be viewed in that context.
The MEA said India continues to closely follow developments in Bangladesh.
