Hindus’ safety in Bangla worries India

Talk to Hasina on recent attacks, Sushma tells envoys

In the wake of fresh attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has directed the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka to meet Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and convey India’s grave concern over the safety and security of Hindus in that country. Miscreants had set fire at least six Hindu houses in a predawn attack on Friday.

“I have asked the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka to call on the Prime Minister and express our grave concern about the safety and wellbeing of the Hindus in Bangladesh,” Ms Swaraj tweeted on Sunday.

Last week, MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said, “All I can say is that the high commission of India in Bangladesh has been in touch with the government of Bangladesh immediately after hearing about these incidents. They will continue to work with the government of Bangladesh to ensure that the interests of minorities are safeguarded. The government of Bangladesh has assured us that it is fully committed to respecting the rights of all citizens of the country, including the minorities.”

Ms Swaraj’s tweet indicates that the the Narendra Modi government is pushing for firm and prompt action by Bangladesh to tackle the situation.

Bangladesh has been strongly backing India on the issue of terrorism and had, along with India, Bhutan and Afghanistan,

boycotted the previouslyscheduled Saarc Summit in Islamabad.

According to news agency reports, unidentified miscreants in Bangladesh had set ablaze houses of some Hindu families and damaged two temples in central Brahmanbarhia district, where several places of worship of the minority community were vandalised a few days ago.

Miscreants set fire at least six Hindu houses in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday in central Brahmanbarhia district’s Nasirnagar, the place where at least 15 temples

and more than 20 houses were vandalised after a Facebook post deemed offensive to Islam sparked outrage in the country.

The police, in overnight drives, detained 33 persons for their alleged involvement in the synchronised attacks on Hindus in Brahmanbaria on October 30.

Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had said the attacks on several Hindu temples in Bangladesh were carried out under a well-orchestrated plan aimed at grabbing the lands of the minority community.

I have asked the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka to call on the PM and express our grave concern about the safety and well-being of the Hindus in Bangladesh Sushma Swaraj, Union minister