India condemns Hindu man’s killing in Bangladesh, says ‘matter of concern’
“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,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday, Dec 26th.
Jaiswal said New Delhi was disturbed by the recent killing and stressed that those responsible must be held accountable.
Dipu Chandra Das, a 30-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob last week in Mymensingh, about 100 km from Dhaka.
In a video that went viral, the mob was seen celebrating the barbarity as Dipu’s naked body was tied to a tree and set on fire.
“Continuing hostilities against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists matter of grave concern. We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh and expect perpetrators to be brought to justice,” he said.
Jaiswal noted that independent sources have documented over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh during the tenure of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
He added that such incidents cannot be brushed aside as media exaggeration or dismissed as mere political violence.
A wave of communal violence broke out in Bangladesh over the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in the July Revolution in 2024 that led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In that spate of violence, Dipu Chandra Das was killed, after being accused of blasphemy.
The incident, that went viral on social media, triggered protests across major cities in India and counter protests in Bangladesh, prompting both countries to summon each other’s envoys.
Indian visa operations in Chittagong were suspended indefinitely following a security incident at the Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) in the second largest city of Bangladesh on Monday. Soon after, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi “temporarily suspended” all consular and visa services.
Reiterating India’s consistent stand on Bangladesh, Jaiswal said, “India stands for strengthening our ties with the people of Bangladesh. We favour peace and stability in Bangladesh.
We stand for fair, free inclusive and participatory elections, which is to be held in a peaceful atmosphere.”
Ahead of the elections in Bangladesh, which are slated to be held in February, the chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday after a 17-year exile. The leader of the party – which has been the principal opposition during former PM Hasina’s tenure – held his first public rally as thousands of supporters gathered.
On the other hand, Hasina’s Awami League has remained banned under the country’s anti-terrorism law since May, while Hasina herself was sentenced to death by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) in November. Since her ouster in 2024, Dhaka had repeatedly demanded New Delhi to hand over Sheikh Hasina. India has not formally responded to these demands.
“We condemn the gruesome killing of a Hindu in Bangladesh. We have given statements earlier as well, rejecting the false narrative put out by Bangladesh,” the MEA said.
Another Hindu man was beaten to death by a mob in Rajbari district late on Wednesday night. Police identified the victim as 30-year-old Amrit Mondal, also known as Samrat. According to local authorities, the violence stemmed from alleged extortion-related activities.
Responding to questions on the return of Tarique Rahman, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal stressed that India supports free, fair and inclusive elections in Bangladesh and that recent political developments there should be seen in that context.
He added that New Delhi is closely following developments in Bangladesh.
Rahman's return comes amid the political turmoil in Bangladesh, where India has flagged the need for stability and security.
Developments involving groups such as Jamaat-e-Islami, which has re-entered politics after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, are being watched closely.
The rise of anti-India narrative under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus is another matter of concern for New Delhi.
ends
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