Systematic attempts in India to incite anti-Bangladesh sentiments: interim government

War of words continued between Bangladesh and India on Sunday with the interim government in Dhaka rejecting India’s concerns about violence against minority religious communities in Bangladesh. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka said that there are “systematic attempts” in India to portray the condition in Bangladesh in a negative light which is inciting Indians against Bangladesh.

“With much regret, we note that there are systematic attempts to portray the isolated incidents of criminal acts as systematic persecution of the Hindus and maliciously used to propagate anti-Bangladesh sentiments in different parts of India,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.

Earlier on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs here had said that there is “unremitting hostility” against the religious minority communities in Bangladesh and that “over 2,900 violent incidents” against minority communities have taken place since the interim government came to power in August 2024. “We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice,” said Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal on Friday. Mr. Jaiswal had condemned the lynchings in Mymensingh and Rajbari that killed two Hindu citizens of Bangladesh- Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mandal.

Bangladeshi sources had said on Thursday that Mr. Mandal was involved in extortion and terror activities. Regarding the same matter the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh said on Sunday that Mr. Mandal was a “listed criminal” and that his “unfortunate death happened when he was committing extortion with his Muslim accomplice, who was later arrested.”

“Bangladesh calls upon different quarters in India to refrain from spreading misleading narratives that undermines the spirit of good-neighbourly relations and mutual trust,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka.