Violence against minorities: 2,200 cases reported in Bangladesh this year
Sat Dec 21, 2024 01:50 AM
A total of 2,200 cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been reported in Bangladesh this year till December 8, India said yesterday and reaffirmed its expectation that Dhaka will take necessary measures to ensure their safety.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh gave the information in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, citing data from minority and human rights organisations.
In Pakistan, the number of cases of violence against Hindus and other minorities this year stood at “112 till October 2024,” he said.
The corresponding figures for 2022 were 47 in Bangladesh and 241 in Pakistan, while in 2023 the figures were 302 in Bangladesh and 103 in Pakistan, according to the data Singh shared.
The minister of state also said the “government has taken serious note of these incidents and shared its concerns with the government of Bangladesh.”
“India’s expectation is that Bangladesh will take all necessary measures to ensure safety and welfare of Hindus and other minorities. The same was also reiterated during the visit of the foreign secretary to Bangladesh on December 9, 2024,” he added.
Singh said the High Commission of India in Dhaka “continues to monitor the situation” related to the minorities in Bangladesh “closely.”
“The primary responsibility for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens, including minorities, rests with the government of the country concerned.”
The minister said the Indian government has seen several reports of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, their homes and business establishments and of attacks on temples/religious places, including in the month of August 2024, across Bangladesh.
