Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the “safety and protection” of minority Hindus in Bangladesh amid widespread unrest in that country, with which it shares a border. Modi congratulated Muhammad Yunus, who was sworn in as the country’s interim leader after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on being ousted on Monday.
Yunus, 84, a Nobel Peace Prize winner known for his banking initiatives to help the poor, was chosen to head the interim government. A longtime opponent of Hasina, one of his key tasks will be to restore peace in the nation and prepare for elections to form a new government.
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“We hope for an early return to normalcy,” Modi said on X (formerly Twitter). He added that he hoped for the “safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities.”
The PM’s appeal follows reports of attacks on the Hindu community in the crisis-hit nation. On Thursday, India’s foreign ministry confirmed that it is “monitoring” the situation.
At present, Hindus make up about 9% of the Bangladeshi population.
India has largely remained silent on the protests, in which around 300 people have been killed, last month describing the unrest as an “internal matter.”
Yunus recently said that he was disheartened by India’s stance regarding the protests in his country. “If there is a fire in the brother’s house, how can I say it is an internal affair?” he told The Indian Express earlier this week. Yunus blamed an “absence of democracy” for the unfolding crisis.
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The Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Unity Council (BHCUC) said that around 200 to 300 Hindu homes had been vandalised after Hasina’s ouster, according to Reuters.
India’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it is up to Hasina to “take things forward” regarding her future plans. According to reports, the ousted leader has been sheltering at an air base near New Delhi. She had earlier sought refuge in the UK, but her request is not likely to be granted. She is considering seeking asylum in a few other countries, including Russia, according to media reports.
Meanwhile, members of Hasina’s team, who fled to India along with the former prime minister, have left for undisclosed destinations abroad, India Today TV reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources.