Attacks on Hindus in B’desh: Swaraj asks Indian envoy to take up issue with Hasina

In the wake of fresh attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has directed the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka to convey to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina India’s grave concern over safety and security of the community in that country.

“I have asked 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,” Swaraj tweeted on Sunday. In fresh attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, unidentified miscreants set ablaze houses of some of them 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 predawn 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. Police in overnight drives detained 33 persons for their alleged involvement in the synchronised attacks on Hindus in Brahmanbaria on October 30.

Earlier also, India had taken up with Bangladesh the issue of safety and security of the minorities. 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 lands of the minority community.