Urges India to refrain from undermining spirit of good-neighbourly ties
Dhaka: Dhaka on Sunday rejected concerns raised by India over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh, calling it an “inaccurate, exaggerated, or motivated narrative” that does not reflect the facts.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the “unremitting hostilities” against minorities in Bangladesh are a matter of “grave concern”. It demanded punishment for the perpetrators involved in the lynching of a Hindu youth in the Mymensingh area last week.
“The unremitting hostilities against the minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.
Responding to Jaiswal’s remarks, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson SM Mahbubul Alam said, “The government of Bangladesh categorically rejects any inaccurate, exaggerated, or motivated narratives that misrepresent Bangladesh’s longstanding tradition of communal harmony.”
Alam claimed that there were “systematic attempts to portray the isolated incidents of criminal acts as systemic persecution of the Hindus and maliciously used to propagate anti-Bangladesh sentiments” in different parts of India.
“We observe a selective and unfair bias in certain quarters, where isolated incidents are amplified, misrepresented and propagated to incite common Indians against Bangladesh, its diplomatic missions and other establishments in India,” Alam said.
Alam said the Indian spokesman’s comments “do not reflect the facts”.
Referring to the killing of Amrit Mondal alias Samrat, by a mob in Rajbari town on Wednesday night, Alam said Mondal was a listed criminal whose unfortunate death happened when he was committing extortion with his Muslim accomplice, who was later arrested.
“To portray this criminal act in the lens of minority treatment is not factual but misleading,” he added.
Bangladesh calls upon different quarters in India to refrain from spreading misleading narratives that undermine the spirit of good-neighbourly relations and mutual trust, he said.
On the other hand, Alam raised concern over alleged “incidents of brutal killings, mob violence, obstruction of elections, and disruption of religious events targeting Muslims, Christians, and other minority communities in India.”
“These incidents are viewed as hate crimes and targeted violence. We expect the concerned authorities in India to conduct impartial investigations into these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Dhaka believes that every country has the responsibility to protect its minority communities, ensure their safety and dignity, and uphold these obligations without discrimination, he added.
‘Two suspects in Hadi murder case fled to India’
Dhaka: Two primary suspects in the murder of Inquilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi have fled Bangladesh and are believed to be currently in India, a top Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer said Sunday.
Hadi (32) was shot in the head on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka. He was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment but died of his injuries on December 18.
“The suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, crossed into the Indian state of Meghalaya with the help of local associates,” additional police commissioner (crime and operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) SN Md Nazrul Islam told a press conference at the DMP Media Centre.
“According to our information, the suspects entered India via the Haluaghat border. After crossing, they were initially received by an individual named Purti. Later, a taxi driver named Sami transported them to Tura city in Meghalaya,” The Daily Star said, quoting Islam.
He added that the police have received informal reports suggesting that the two individuals who assisted the fugitives, Purti and Sami, have since been detained by authorities in India.
The DMP officer said the Bangladesh government is actively working to bring the suspects back.
“We are maintaining communication with Indian authorities through both formal and informal channels to ensure their arrest and extradition,” he added.
The DMP officer did not, however, mention when the two escaped to India.
There is no reaction by Indian officials as yet to DMP’s claim about the two suspects fleeing to Meghalaya, India.
