Attacks on minorities: B'desh has assured of stern action against culprits, says India

In the wake of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, India on Friday stated that it has raised the issue with the Bangladeshi authorities appropriately and has been assured of stern action against the culprits by the Government.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India's High Commission in Dhaka has been closely monitoring the incidents targeting the religious, socio-economic and political freedom of the minorities in Bangladesh and has raises these issues with the authorities.

"At appropriate occasions, our concerns have also been conveyed at high political levels, including during the visit of Foreign Secretary to Dhaka on May 11-12, 2016. In recent instances, High Commission officials have personally visited the concerned families and established contact with the local authorities to impress upon them the seriousness with which Government of India views this problem," Swarup said.

Asserting that over the past few weeks, the Bangladesh Government has stepped up its efforts to apprehend the perpetrators of these crimes and to make progress on investigations of past cases, Swarup added that the primary responsibility for protection of life, liberty and property of all citizens of Bangladesh, including the minorities, rests with the Government.

"As of date, we understand that investigations have been concluded and arrests made in 25 of these incidents and the Government is now filing charge sheets in many of the remaining cases. Government of Bangladesh has taken into preventive custody over 11,000 persons who are suspected to have links with militant organizations or are believed to be sympathizers with the radical Islamic ideology being propounded by those carrying out these attacks," Swarup added.

He also said that India has been assured by the neighbouring that Bangladesh remains fully committed to safeguarding minority rights, that many of the incidents are not communal in nature and arise from disputes of a political or private nature and that stern action would be taken against the culprits.

India's statements come after a Hindu priest was hacked to death by three motorcycle-borne men in front of a temple in Bangladesh's Jhinaidah district today.

Bangladesh has seen a surge in attacks on liberals and religious minorities in recent times. Islamic extremists are said be behind such attacks, with Islamic State having claimed responsibility for some of the killings.

Earlier this month, a Ramkarishna Mission staff in Dhaka had received a threat letter allegedly sent by the militants.

The mission authorities had, on receiving the threat letter, filed a complaint with the Wari Police Station.