The External Affairs Ministry expressed worry about the desecration of Hindu temples and deities in Bangladesh and urged the government to protect Hindus and other minorities.
The MEA’s address in Parliament coincides with a recent surge of disturbances in Bangladesh related to the detention of a Hindu leader and the attacks on Iskcon and other temples by extremist Islamic groups.
During his response in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the Indian government has raised apprehensions regarding incidents like the assault on a Puja mandap in Tantibazar, Dhaka, and the robbery at the Jeshoreshwari Kali temple in Satkhira during Durga Puja 2024.
In the Tantibazar area of Dhaka last month, a Durga Puja mandap was targeted with a crude bomb attack. Nevertheless, no one was hurt. During his 2021 visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted a crown of Goddess Kali to the Jeshoreshwari temple, which was later stolen. After the downfall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, there has been an increase in similar attacks on Hindu temples.
The minister stated that it was the duty of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to safeguard the well-being and freedom of minorities in Bangladesh.
Also read: ‘Chinmoy Das unjustly….’, says Sheikh Hasina on monk’s arrest
The government has also urged Bangladesh to guarantee the safety and security of Hindus and other minority groups, as well as their places of worship. He stated that the government of Bangladesh holds the main duty to safeguard the lives and freedoms of all citizens, including minority groups.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to give a speech in both houses of Parliament on Friday after updating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the current situation in Bangladesh today.
Last week, the government issued a similar plea after Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was arrested in a sedition case. Chinmoy Das, a former member of Iskcon, faced allegations of showing disrespect to the national flag at a Hindu community rally. Massive protests have been triggered by his arrest within the Hindu community in the neighboring country.
