Categories
India rebukes Bangladesh following the abduction and killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu minority leader, in northern Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district. In a sharply worded statement, New Delhi condemned the brutal act and accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of failing to protect religious minorities.
“We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said. “This killing follows a pattern of systematic persecution of Hindu minorities under the interim government, even as the perpetrators of previous such events roam with impunity.”
The statement further urged Dhaka to uphold its responsibility to safeguard minority communities without “inventing excuses or making distinctions.”
Bhabesh Chandra Roy, 58, was reportedly abducted from his home in Basudebpur village on Wednesday after receiving a suspicious phone call. Around 30 minutes later, four men arrived on motorcycles, kidnapped him, and allegedly took him to Narabari village where he was assaulted. He was later returned home unconscious and declared dead upon arrival at a local hospital, according to reports in The Daily Star.
The incident has sparked political reactions in India, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh. He called the meeting “ineffective” in protecting Hindus and other minorities, citing data that reported 76 attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh over the past two months, resulting in 23 deaths.
“In Bangladesh, religious minorities, especially our Hindu brothers and sisters, are continuously facing atrocities,” Kharge stated. “The brutal murder of Mr Bhabesh Chandra Roy is further evidence that diplomatic talks have failed to ensure their safety.”
The BJP swiftly responded, defending the Prime Minister’s diplomacy and accusing the Congress of hypocrisy.
“Foreign policy is not shaped by political grudges,” BJP spokesperson Charu Pragya told NDTV. “India’s relationship is with the nation of Bangladesh, not just with individuals. Congress should also explain its silence on the treatment of Hindus in states like West Bengal.”
The ongoing political volatility in Bangladesh since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s exit has also drawn international concern. The U.S. State Department has reissued a travel advisory, warning its citizens to reconsider travel to Bangladesh due to rising political violence, kidnappings, and targeted attacks on minorities.
“Kidnappings, including those targeting religious minorities, have occurred,” the advisory said. “The U.S. government continues to restrict travel for its personnel to several areas in Bangladesh due to security concerns.”
