Violent extremists’ release by Dhaka worrisome: MEA

India today voiced concern over Bangladesh releasing certain “violent extremists” and underlined that it was the responsibility of the interim government in Dhaka to protect Hindus and other minorities as well as their religious institutions.

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India, however, welcomed the possibility of holding elections in Bangladesh following the recent launch of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP).

Former student leader Nahid Islam, who was also an adviser in the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus, recently launched the NCP or the Jatiya Nagorik Party in Bangladesh.

After the launch of his party, Nahid said the Yunus-led government had not been able to ensure public safety and holding the general election this year would be difficult.

This came after Yunus had said that the elections could be held in the country by the end of this year. Nahid is the first significant politician to cast doubt on Yunus’ timeframe for holding the elections.

Commenting on the political development in Bangladesh, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We support a stable, peaceful, inclusive and progressive Bangladesh in which all issues are resolved through democratic means and by holding inclusive and participatory elections.”

At the same time, Jaiswal expressed dissatisfaction over the release of “violent extremists”, saying, “We remain concerned about the deteriorating law and order situation, further worsened by the release of violent extremists, who were sentenced for serious crimes.”

India has long underlined the responsibility of Bangladesh’s interim government to safeguard the rights of its minority communities, particularly Hindus. Jaiswal said, “It is crucial for Bangladesh to protect religious institutions and ensure that the perpetrators of violence, including killings and arson, are brought to justice without any political distinctions.” Incidents of unrest in Bangladesh include attacks on symbols of the country’s ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s government and clashes between student groups. There have also been reports of attacks on homes, businesses and temples of Hindus and other minorities in the Muslim-majority nation, though the interim government says those reports are exaggerated.

According to Jaiswal, recent reports indicate a rise in politically motivated violence, with over 2,374 incidents of unrest reported in Bangladesh from August 2024 to February 2025, of which only 1,254 were verified by the police.