NEW DELHI, Dec 26: The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a stern warning to Bangladesh’s interim government over escalating violence against minorities, asserting that these incidents cannot be dismissed as “media exaggerations or political violence”.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday condemned the recent killing of Hindu youth Amrit Mondal in Mymensingh, stating that “unremitting hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, at the hands of extremists are a matter of grave concern”. The spokesperson demanded that perpetrators be brought to justice and said India is closely monitoring the deteriorating situation.
Independent sources have documented more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities during the tenure of the interim government, including cases of killings, arson and land grabbing. Jaiswal emphasized that India has issued multiple statements in recent days rejecting what he called “false narratives being projected in Bangladesh”.
The development comes a day after another Hindu man was lynched in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district. The Yunus-led interim government claimed the incident was not related to communal violence and characterized it as criminal, saying Mondal was “accused” in several serious cases. Bangladesh also accused social media of spreading “misleading information” regarding the killing.
On BNP leader Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh after 17 years, the MEA said India supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh and the development should be viewed in that context.
