In a letter to her Bangladesh counterpart AH Mahmood Ali, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj offered India's support to Bangladesh in fighting terrorism. She also offered a "comprehensive approach" to fight the menace.
"India stands firmly with Bangladesh in this hour of grief and will work shoulder-to-shoulder with the government of Bangladesh against terrorism and to protect our societies from the threat of ideologies of hate, violence and terror," Swaraj said.
"We need to adopt a zero tolerance policy and a comprehensive approach in fighting terrorism at all levels," she added.She said it was "unfortunate that such mindless violence should be perpetrated during the holy month of Ramadan, when the minds of “true believers would be turned to spiritual pursuits". "This has shown us that terrorism has no religion and no faith," the minister said.
Referring to a deadly attack on a cafe in Dhaka last Friday, in which 22 people, including an Indian girl, were killed by suspected Islamic State terrorists, the External Affairs Minister said that she was confident that the government of Bangladesh "will do its utmost to bring those responsible for this cowardly attack to justice so that such attacks are not repeated".
Soon after the July 1 attack, India responded with a call to stand by Bangladesh. Both President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have condemned the attack. Modi also phoned his counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh witnessed a fresh attack on Eid on Thursday when the country's largest Eid congregation at Kishoreganj district came under attack, in which three persons lost their lives.
India refutes reports of NSG team’s B’desh trip
Meanwhile, India has denied that a team of National Security Gaurd (NSG) was visiting Bangladesh amidst reports that it was already in Dhaka to study the recent terrorist attacks that have shocked that country.
External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup, who is accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi in South Africa, said: “Just to clarify, reports of an NSG team visiting Bangladesh are false.”
His remarks came amidst reports that a special team of NSG officers was visiting Bangladesh to “analyse and study” the bombings at an Eid prayer gathering yesterday and the recent terror siege at a high-end restaurant in the neighbouring country.