Bangkon: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Friday underlined India’s concerns over the safety of minorities, including Hindus, and conveyed the expectation that the Bangladeshi government would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating cases of atrocities against them.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Summit meeting of the leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping. It was their first meeting since the ousting of prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
Briefing reporters on Modi’s meeting with Yunus, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Modi underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus.
“On the border strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing are necessary to maintain border security and security. The PM also underlines India’s concerns over the safety and security of minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh,” he added.
Yunus took charge of Bangladesh in August 2024 after India’s old ally Sheikh Hasina was toppled as prime minister by a student-led uprising and fled by helicopter to India.
Hasina’s ouster from power was followed by reports of widespread attacks on minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh.
On Thursday, the Centre told Parliament that over 2,400 minority-related incidents in Bangladesh have been reported from August 5, 2024 till March 23, and it is expected that the neighbouring country will “thoroughly investigate” these cases and bring all perpetrators to justice without justifying any of these as “politically motivated”.
According to a PTI report, the MEA was asked whether the government of India has taken cognizance of human rights violations of Hindus in Bangladesh.
“The government of India has taken note of incidents of human rights violations of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and raised the issue with the Government of Bangladesh on various occasions. On December 10, 2024, the Government of Bangladesh announced in a press briefing that 70 people had been arrested in 88 cases related to attacks against minorities in Bangladesh; subsequent police investigations in January 2025 had verified only 1,254 incidents,” Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.
Singh said according to updated information, “over 2,400 minority-related incidents have been reported from August 5, 2024 till March 23, 2025”.
“It is expected that Bangladesh will thoroughly investigate these incidents and bring all perpetrators of killings, arson and violence against minorities to justice without justifying any of these killings or arson as politically motivated,” the MoS said.
