'Disregard Emboldens Perpetrators': India Flags 'Disturbing Pattern' of Attacks on Minorities in Bangladesh, Demands Swift & Firm Action

New Delhi: India on Friday flagged a "disturbing pattern" of repeated attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and demanded that swift and firm action be taken against the perpetrators.

At a weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, as well as on their homes and business establishments by extremists in Bangladesh. Such communal incidents need to be dealt with swiftly and firmly."

He further expressed displeasure at the fact that such attacks on minorities are attributed to personal rivalries/vendettas and political differences.

"We have also observed a troubling tendency to attribute such incidents to personal rivalries, personal vendettas, political differences, and other extraneous reasons. Such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators and deepens the sense of fear and insecurity among minorities," MEA spokesperson Jaiswal said.

Surge of Violence on Hindus in Bangladesh

This comes a few days after a Hindu man, identified as 45-year-old Rana Pratap, was shot dead in Bangladesh.

According to reports, Pratap was a journalist.

Locals said that miscreants opened fire on him when he was at Kapalia Bazar in Union No. 17 of Monirampur upazila, Jessore. He collapsed at the spot. He later succumbed to the bullet injuries before being taken to the hospital by locals.

This was the fifth such incident of attack on Hindus in Bangladesh.

Earlier, a Hindu man named Khokon Chandra Das was set on fire on New Year's Eve in Bangladesh.

Das, a middle-aged Hindu businessman who ran a pharmacy at Keurbhanga Bazar in Bangladesh's Shariatpur district, was attacked with sharp weapons. According to reports, petrol was poured on his body and he was set on fire. Das jumped into a nearby pond beside the road. Hearing his screams, local residents rushed to the scene, prompting the attackers to flee. He died while undergoing treatment for burn injuries at the National Burn Institute in Dhaka.

The incident occurred around 9:30 pm near Keurbhanga Bazar in Koneshwar Union of Damudya, when a group of miscreants stopped Das while he was returning home after closing his shop for the day.

Concerns have been raised over growing violence against members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Last month, Dipu Chandra Das, a garment factory worker in Mymensingh district, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges, while another Hindu youth, Amrit Mondal, was lynched in Rajbari district over an extortion allegation.

These incidents have triggered widespread outrage and condemnation from political leaders, religious organisations and minority groups in Bangladesh and India.

Also Read: US Trade Deal: India Strongly Reacts On 'Modi-Trump Call', Says ‘Characterization Inaccurate’