Bangladesh on Sunday firmly rejected India’s expression of concern over the safety of Hindu minorities in the country, describing recent incidents involving members of the community as isolated criminal acts rather than evidence of any organised or systemic persecution. Dhaka said the portrayal of these incidents as targeted attacks on minorities was misleading and did not reflect the ground reality.
In an official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Bangladesh government said remarks made by the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs were based on “inaccurate and exaggerated narratives.” The statement emphasised that Bangladesh has a long-standing tradition of communal harmony and that attempts to depict the country as unsafe for minorities were unfounded. It categorically rejected what it called motivated claims aimed at misrepresenting the situation within the country.
The rebuttal came after India publicly raised concerns over violence against minority communities in Bangladesh, describing such incidents as unacceptable and urging swift action against those responsible. New Delhi had expressed particular concern over attacks targeting Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, and said it expected the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of all minorities. The Indian government also cited specific incidents, including the lynching of a 27-year-old Hindu garment worker, Dipu Chandra Das, in Mymensingh on December 18, and another fatal assault on a Hindu man in Rajbari district earlier this month.
India had further noted that independent reports pointed to a rise in violence against minorities, including cases of killing, arson, intimidation and land seizures, and called on Bangladesh to take firm steps to uphold justice and protect vulnerable communities.
Responding to these concerns, Dhaka said there was a deliberate attempt to project isolated criminal incidents as part of a broader pattern of communal persecution. The foreign ministry alleged that such narratives were being selectively amplified in a way that could damage Bangladesh’s image and inflame public sentiment against the country and its diplomatic missions in India.
Addressing the Rajbari incident specifically, Bangladesh rejected the claim that it was a case of religiously motivated violence. According to the foreign ministry, the individual involved was a known criminal who died during an attempted extortion, and the case had no link to communal targeting. It added that portraying the incident as an attack on a minority was factually incorrect and misleading.
Dhaka also cautioned against what it described as the politicisation of criminal cases, warning that the spread of unverified or distorted narratives could harm bilateral relations. The statement urged stakeholders in India to act responsibly and refrain from making claims that could undermine mutual trust and cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The exchange has added to growing diplomatic friction between India and Bangladesh, with both sides now trading sharp statements over internal developments and the treatment of minority communities.
