The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday released a stern denunciation of the kidnapping and murder of Hindu leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy in Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district. The act is being viewed as a part of an alarming trend of “systematic persecution of Hindu minorities” across the country. Roy, who is a resident of Basudebpur village, was kidnapped from his house and brutally assaulted to death by assailants on Friday.
MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal was quoted in a statement as having expressed in utmost concern, “We have noticed with distress the kidnapping and senseless killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a leader of Hindu minority community in Bangladesh. This killing follows a trend of systematic harassment of Hindu minorities during the caretaker government regime, while their perpetrators of earlier such atrocities get away scot-free.”.
The Ministry appealed to the caretaker government of Bangladesh to use its responsibility to protect all minorities, including Hindus, in a non-discriminatory and non-excusable manner.
Bhabesh Chandra Roy was vice-president of Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and a key local leader. He was abducted by motorbike-borne attackers following a phone call on Friday, according to locals. Witnesses reported witnessing him being taken to Naxalbari village, where he was severely assaulted.
The assailants allegedly dropped his unconscious body back home in a van. Relatives and locals rushed him to a health complex, but he was later found dead on admission at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital.
Congress Demands Immediate Action
Congress party also condemned the brutal murder of Roy, calling it a harsh reminder of increasing insecurity among religious minorities in Bangladesh. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated, “This is not an isolated attack. There have been repeated and deeply disturbing reports of attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh over the past few months, ranging from desecration of Hindu temples to targeted attacks on homes and businesses. This pattern of intimidation and brutality cannot be ignored.”
The Congress party demanded the Indian government raise this question at the earliest and demanded that the interim government of Bangladesh at the earliest make public a full inquiry and prosecute the culprits.
This follows increasing attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, particularly after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government, which has strained the relationship with the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. India has never been comfortable with the treatment of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh.
Preceding this, India had refused to comment on Bangladesh’s observation of violence in West Bengal while protests broke out against the reformed Waqf Bill, calling upon its neighbor to try and secure minority protection within it. The MEA indicated Bangladesh should not offer “unwarranted statements and engage in virtue signaling” but instead adhere to ensuring rights for minorities.
