MEA’s blunt warning to Dhaka: Stop dismissing minority attacks, prosecute fast

He made the remarks during the weekly press briefing here in the national capital.

• MEA urges swift action on recurring attacks against minorities in Bangladesh
• Communal violence rises ahead of Bangladesh's 13th National Parliamentary Election
• 2,900+ incidents against minorities recorded during interim government tenure

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Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal spoke on the recurring attacks taking place against minorities in Bangladesh, highlighting the need to deal with these incidents "swiftly and firmly".

He made the remarks during the weekly press briefing here in the national capital.

Responding to a query on the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, the MEA Spokesperson said, "We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists in Bangladesh. Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly."

He added, "We have also observed a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries, political differences, or extraneous reasons. Such disregard only emboldens the extremists and the perpetrators of such crimes and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among minorities."

As the date of the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh draws nearer, communal violence is increasing at an alarming rate. In December alone, at least 51 incidents of violence were reported.

As the date of the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh draws nearer, communal violence is increasing at an alarming rate. In December alone, at least 51 incidents of violence were reported.

These included 10 murders, 10 cases of theft and robbery, 23 incidents involving the occupation of homes, business establishments, temples and land, looting and arson, four cases of arrest and torture on false allegations of religious defamation and being "agents of RAW", one attempted rape, and three incidents of physical assault, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said in a statement. The trend of violence has continued into the first week of January this year.

Earlier also, during the press briefing on December 26, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern. We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice. Over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities, including cases of killings, arsons, land grab have been documented by independent sources during the tenure of the interim government. These incidents cannot be brushed aside as mere media exaggerations or dismissed as political violence."