Bangladesh confirms 88 attacks on minorities day after Foreign Secretary's Dhaka visit

Muhammad Yunus, chief of the caretaker administration of Bangladesh. (File Photo: PTI)

A day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri raised concerns over the safety of minorities during his visit to Bangladesh, the local interim government listed out data, admitting to 88 cases being filed over attacks against minorities since the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina in early August this year.

As per the Bangladesh government data cited by news agency PTI, a total of 88 cases have been filed and 70 individuals have been arrested in connection with rioting and vandalism. The data was shared by the interim government head Muhammad Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam.

As per Alam, 70 people have been arrested in connection with incidents of communal violence. The government said that the Budha Christian Parishad reported incidents of violence between August 4 and 20, prompting the police to lodge 62 cases and arrest 35 people.

From August 5 to October 22, there were 26 reported cases of attacks on religious sites, leading to the arrests of 35 more rioters, according to government data.

The Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary said that the number of cases registered and arrests is expected to increase as new incidents of violence have been reported in Sunamganj, Gazipur, and other areas.

The actions came a day after Foreign Secretary of India Vikram Misri visited Dhaka and met Bangladesh foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain. Misri flagged India’s concerns over the safety of minorities in the country, in the wake of recent attacks on temples and violent attacks on the people of the Hindu community, during the meeting.

Soon after the Fireign Secretary's visit, the interim government swung into action against anti-social elements who vandalised and looted Hindu properties, and put them behind bars.

Following his visit, Misri said the talks in Dhaka gave India an opportunity to take stock of the situation after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina administration.

“We want positive relationship with Bangladesh, which will mutually benefit us. I emphasised that India desires a positive, constructive, and beneficial relationship with Bangladesh. We want people-centric relationship, and we have a desire to work closely with the current interim government in Bangladesh,” he said.

He said that he raised concerns over the safety of minorities in the country, in the wake of the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and a spate of attacks on Hindus in recent months.

There has been a spate of attacks on the Hindu community and its religious places, drawing reactions from New Delhi. This led to strained relations between the two countries.