Modi-Biden telephonic call: In official White House statement, no mention of Bangladesh crisis, Hindus' safety

PM Modi dialled up President Biden after concluding his visit to the war-ravaged Ukraine, which has been in war with Russia since last two years. (PTI file photo)

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with US President Joe Biden, the White House released a statement on Tuesday. In his X post, PM Modi had said that the two leaders discussed Bangladesh crisis and safety of minorities, especially Hindus.

However, the White House statement did not have any mention of the situation in Dhaka and other issues related to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Instead, the statement spoke about PM Modi’s visit to Ukraine and his New York trip for the United Nations General Assembly in September next month.

Spoke to @POTUS @JoeBiden on phone today. We had a detailed exchange of views on various regional and global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Indias full support for early return of peace and stability.We also discussed the situation in Bangladesh and
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024

“President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to discuss the Prime Minister’s recent trip to Poland and Ukraine, as well as the United Nations General Assembly meetings in September,” the statement read.

Lauding PM Modi’s peace initiatives, the White House Statement said, “The President commended the Prime Minister for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.  The Leaders affirmed their continued support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter.”

Without mentioning China, the White House statement also spoke about the discussion on Quad. “The Leaders also emphasized their continued commitment to work together, including through regional groups like the Quad, to contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” the statement added.

Bangladesh has been witnessing violence following the resignation and subsequent departure of Hasina from the country on August 5, with attacks targeting Hindu communities and significant casualties being reported. According to community leaders in Dhaka, Hindu temples, households, and businesses have been vandalised, and women have been assaulted. At least two Hindu leaders affiliated with Hasina’s Awami League party have been killed during the unrest.