On Monday (24th January), National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval visited an exhibition, depicting the violence and discrimination perpetrated against minorities (particularly Hindus) in Bangladesh.
Ajit Doval also participated in a panel discussion on ‘The never-ending persecution of minorities in Bangladesh.’ Both events were organised by his think-tank Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF).
In a tweet, the think-tank stated, “The exhibition was inaugurated by the speakers, after which the focus shifted to the panel discussion. Each speaker provided critical insights into the historical and ongoing persecution of minorities in a highly Islamized Bangladesh, examining the socio-political and international dimensions of the crisis.”
Press Release
— VIF India (@vifindia) February 24, 2025
Vivekananda International Foundation
Exhibition & Panel Discussion on
"The Never Ending Persecution of Minorities in Bangladesh"
New Delhi, India– The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) hosted an exhibition and panel discussion titled "The Never Ending… pic.twitter.com/HmKfdYCknq
“A key highlight of the event was the attendance of India’s National Security Advisor (NSA), Shri Ajit Doval, KC. The NSA visited the exhibition and attended the panel discussion, underscoring India’s deep concern over the plight of minorities in Bangladesh,” VIF India pointed out.
A few days earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar questioned Bangladesh over ‘ridiculous’ statements made by the leaders belonging to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
“If every day someone in the interim government stands up and blames India for everything – some of those things if you look at the reports, are absolutely ridiculous…You cannot, on the one hand, say that ‘I would now like to have good relations with you’, but I wake up every morning and blame you for everything that goes wrong. It is a decision that they must make,” he called out the doublespeak.
🚨🇮🇳🇧🇩Bangladesh has to MAKE UP ITS MIND on relations with India: Jaishankar
— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) February 23, 2025
बांग्लादेश को भारत के साथ संबंधों को लेकर निर्णय लेना चाहिए: जयशंकर pic.twitter.com/GoW25NBjp9
“They must make up their minds on what kind of relationship they want to have with New Delhi, going forward. We have a long history with Bangladesh. We have a very special history with Bangladesh – one that goes back to 1971,” S Jaishankar added.
He pointed out, “There are two aspects to the problem that our bilateral ties are facing – the first being communal attacks on minorities. What is very troubling for India is the spate of attacks on minorities. It obviously is something that impacts our thinking. It is something we have to speak up about, which we have done.”
“The second aspect is that they have their domestic politics – which you can agree with or disagree with, but at the end of the day, we are their neighbour, and they have to make up their mind on their outlook towards us,” S Jaishankar concluded.
Interim govt of Bangladesh threatens India
The interim-government in Bangladesh had been maintaining a hostile attitude after it took the reigns following the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
In October 2024, a top adviser in Bangladesh’s interim government issued a “threat” to the government of India, stating that if India tried to refuse the extradition of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country would launch a “strong protest.” Law adviser Asif Nazrul cited provisions of the extradition treaty and claimed that India is bound to follow it.
A Bangladeshi Islamist identified as Sarjis Alam, who rose to prominence during the ‘student protests’ and the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina, issued veiled threats to PM Modi on Vijay Diwas (16th December 2024).
During his speech, Alam was heard saying, “I want to let Mr Modi know that is not Gujarat. This is Bangladesh.” He was jeered on by his radical supporters.
“Aggressive communalism does not thrive here… You cannot come to power here by spreading rumours and killing people,” he claimed.
According to media reports, the Islamist had additionally threatened to ‘gouge the eyes out’ of anyone who raises his eyebrows at Bangladesh.
Earlier, Sarjis Alam had repeatedly threatened India and demanded the handover of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Owing to his anti-Indian rhetoric, the Islamist was made the chief organiser of the Jatiyo Nagorik Committee.
Around the same time, Mahfuz Alam, who serves as an ‘adviser’ to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh, threatened to capture India.
Mahfuj Alam, special aide to Dr. #Yunus and Advisor of Interim Govt made a Facebook post this morning in which he talked of annexing some of India's eastern and northeastern territories (see the map shared by him).
— Bangladesh Watch (@bdwatch2024) December 17, 2024
He alleged that #India maintains a "contain" and "ghettoize"… pic.twitter.com/nkvDVzRDRQ
The Islamist posted a map of Bangladesh, which spread deep into the Indian States of West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. Mahfuz Alam later realised that his open admission of sinister territorial expansion of Bangladesh could lead to diplomatic issues.
Within 2 hours of sharing his fantasy of annexing India, he quietly deleted his tweet. Mahfuz Alam had previously served as a ‘special assistant’ to Muhammad Yunus.
In January this year, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commander Lt. Col Golam Kibria issued threats to India’s Border Security Force (BSF).
I am enough to teach the BSF a lesson. You don’t need to come now. When I need help, I will call for the villagers to join.” pic.twitter.com/ltFd3Amn1W
— Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus 🇧🇩 (@VHindus71) January 24, 2025
“I am standing here with all the forces. You (villagers) do not need to come here. I am alone enough to cut down BSF to size. Was I able to make you understand?” he was heard saying in a viral video.
The BGB commander declared that he would call upon the villagers to ambush the BSF when the need arose. “When it becomes necessary, I will give a call to villagers to come with me and cut down BSF to size,” he threatened.
Attack on Hindus in Bangladesh since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina
OpIndia has been vetting and reporting cases of atrocities on Hindus since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on 5th August 2024.
There have been at least 205 attacks on Hindu temples, shops and businesses within 3 days of the fall of Dhaka.
We previously exposed how Muslim students have forced as many as 60 Hindu teachers, professors and government officials to resign from their positions.
Human rights activist and exiled Bangladeshi blogger, Asad Noor, has recently revealed that the minority community is now being coerced into joining ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’.
On 6th September, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying the idol of Lord Ganesha came under attack in the Kadam Mubarak area in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.
Ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, a radical Muslim man named Yasin Mia vandalised the idols of Goddess Durga and other Hindu deities in Gouripur town in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh on 25th September.
In the latest series of attacks, idols of Goddess Durga and other Hindu deities were vandalised at the Rishipara Barwari Puja Mandap and the Manikadi Palpara Barwari Pujamandap on 28th September and 1st October respectively.
The attacks were carried out in Sujanagar upazila in Pabna district in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh. While a total of 4 idols were defaced at the Rishipara Barwari Puja Mandap, another 5 Hindu idols were destroyed at the Manikadi Palpara Barwari Pujamandap.
On 3rd October, 7 idols of Hindu deities were destroyed at the Gopinath Jiur Akhara Durga Puja mandap in Kishoreganj, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh.
On 5th November, the Hindu community came under attack from police and law enforcement authorities in Hazari Goli in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.
On 29th November, a violent Muslim mob attacked Hindu minorities and vandalised 3 temples in Patharghata in Chittagong district of Bangladesh.
The Hindu religious sites that the Muslims targeted included the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple. The attack took place immediately after the conclusion of Jumma Namaz.
On 30th November, a prominent Hindu journalist named Munni Saha was arrested by the police from Karwan Bazar in Dhaka city of Bangladesh.
A group of extremists attacked the Mahashmashan Kali Mata Mandir, vandalised 7 idols of deities and stole gold ornaments on 13th December 2024.
On 19th December, a Muslim man identified as Alal Uddin vandalised an idol at the Polashkanda Kali Temple and then attempted to create a fake alibi. The incident occurred in Haluaghat upazila in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.
Another 37-year-old Muslim man identified as Azharul vandalised several idols of deities in Haluaghat Upazila in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.
The recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu and his aides, attempts at banning Hindu organisation ISKCON and stiffling Hindu protests with cases of ‘sedition’ highlight systematic persecution under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus.
There have been multiple instances of attacks on Hindus under the pretext of ‘blasphemy.’ The recent cases of Hridoy Pal, Utsab Mandal, Partha Biswas Pintu, Akash Das, Pranta Talukder and Utsab Kumar Gian are shining examples of targeted persecution.
