Hindus our citizens, says Bangladesh's Hossain as Jaishankar takes up issue of minorities

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has taken up the issue of safety of minorities and the Hindu community in Bangladesh during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohd Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the UN ‘Summit of the Future’ in New York.

The meeting happened on Monday. Hossian, separately, told news agency ANI that “Hindus are our citizens, we are taking care of them”.

On being asked what the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh was doing about the reported attacks on the minorities and Hindus in the country, Hossain said, “We are doing everything possible for the protection of our citizens, and Hindus in Bangladesh are our citizens, we are taking care of them.”

He questioned the role of the Indian media saying “any violence that has taken place (in Bangladesh) is being shown as violence against Hindus, this is not correct. I think Indian media needs to come out of this hyping up this issue”.

After his meeting with Hossain, Jaishankar posted on X: “Had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of Bangladesh in New York this evening. The conversation focused on our bilateral ties.”

This was the first in-person interaction at the level of the External Affairs Minister since former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to flee the country on August 5 amid widespread protests. An interim government was installed, with Yunus being sworn in its head on August 8.

Post Hasina’s departure—she flew into India on board a special plane—several incidents of violence, particularly targeting minorities, including Hindus, have been reported from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh was also discussed at the bilateral between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware on September 21.  Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, at a press briefing in New York, mentioned that “Bangladesh also figured in the discussions and there was an exchange of views with regard to the situation there.”