Bangladesh Confirms 88 Incidents of Communal Violence Targeting Minorities

According to a report by PTI, Bangladesh on Tuesday confirmed 88 incidents of communal violence primarily targeting minorities, mainly Hindus, following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.

Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to interim government head Muhammad Yunus, announced that 70 individuals have been arrested in connection with the communal violence.

The announcement followed a meeting where Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri expressed concerns over the attacks on minorities and highlighted India’s apprehensions about their safety and welfare to the Bangladeshi leadership.

Alam informed reporters that 88 cases have been filed in connection with incidents targeting minorities between August 5 and October 22.

PTI quoted Alam as saying, “The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have also been reported in (northeastern) Sunamganj, (central) Gazipur, and other areas.”

He stated that some of the victims might have been members of the previous ruling party. The government has asserted that, apart from a few cases, Hindus were not targeted because of their religion.

Alam added, “Some attacks targeted individuals who were former members of the ruling party or were the result of personal disputes. Nevertheless, since violence occurred, the police are taking appropriate action.”

He stated that details of the incidents occurring after October 22 will be released soon.

In recent weeks, there has been a surge in violence against Hindus and other minorities, along with attacks on temples in Bangladesh, raising significant concerns in New Delhi.

Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday for the annual foreign office consultations with his counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin, amidst unprecedented strain in bilateral relations due to the targeting of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority and the arrest of monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Misri, the first senior Indian official to visit Dhaka since the change of government in August, also held meetings with de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain and caretaker administration chief Muhammad Yunus.

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