“The unremitting hostility in Bangladesh against minorities, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, condemning the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh and calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
Citing independent documentation, Jaiswal said over 2,900 incidents of violence, including killings, arson and land grab, against minorities had been recorded during the tenure of the interim government. “These incidents cannot be brushed aside as media exaggerations or dismissed as political violence,” he said.
New Delhi also rejected what it termed a “false narrative” being projected in Bangladesh amid rising anti-India rhetoric. “Law and order, security and internal developments are the responsibility of the government of Bangladesh. To portray a narrative where these are attributed elsewhere is completely false and we reject it,” Jaiswal said, noting that New Delhi had issued multiple statements in recent days countering such claims.
The remarks come against the backdrop of back-to-back lynchings of Hindu men in Bangladesh, including the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh over an alleged blasphemy accusation, followed by the mob killing of Amrit Mondal in Rajbari district. The incidents have intensified fears among minority communities amid continuing political instability following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
On political developments in Dhaka, including the return of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman after 17 years in self-exile, India said it supported free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh. “This development must be seen in that context,” Jaiswal said, reiterating India’s consistent position in favour of peaceful and credible polls conducted in a stable environment.
India, he underlined, remains committed to close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, rooted in the shared liberation struggle and strengthened through development cooperation and people-to-people ties. “We stand for peace and stability in Bangladesh,” he said, adding that New Delhi had been clear and consistent in calling for the security of minorities and the upholding of democratic norms.
On the second lynching, Jaiswal said India’s position on the safety of minorities in Bangladesh was “very clear”, signalling that New Delhi would continue to closely monitor developments and raise concerns as necessary.