(Image source from: PTI)
On Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its outrage regarding the kidnapping and murder of Hindu leader Bhabesh Chandra Roy in the Dinajpur district of Bangladesh, asserting that this incident represents a trend of "systematic persecution of Hindu minorities." Roy was taken from his home in Basudebpur village and subsequently murdered by armed attackers on Friday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal conveyed concern on social media, stating, "We have observed with sorrow the abduction and vicious murder of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a leader from the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. This tragic event is indicative of a broader pattern of systematic discrimination against Hindu minorities by the current interim government, as those responsible for past incidents remain unpunished."
In a sternly phrased declaration, the External Affairs Ministry denounced the occurrence and reminded the Bangladeshi interim administration of its obligation to safeguard all minority groups, including Hindus, without offering justifications or drawing distinctions. Bhabesh Chandra Roy served as the vice-president of the Biral branch of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and was a key figure in the local Hindu community. According to his wife, he was abducted by assailants on motorcycles following a phone call on Friday. Eyewitnesses reported that he was transported to Naxalbari village, where he was brutally assaulted.
The attackers allegedly returned his lifeless body to his residence in a van. Family members, aided by nearby residents, hurried Bhabesh to a local health facility, from which he was referred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival. The Congress party also condemned Roy's savage murder, labeling it a chilling indication of the increasing insecurity faced by religious minorities in Bangladesh.
"This is not an isolated event. In recent months, there have been numerous alarming reports of assaults on minority communities in Bangladesh, ranging from desecrations of Hindu temples to targeted aggression against the residences and businesses of those minorities. This systematic campaign of intimidation and violence must not be overlooked," stated Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on social media. The Congress party called upon the Indian government to prioritize this issue and pressure the interim administration in Bangladesh to conduct a prompt and transparent inquiry while ensuring that those guilty are held accountable.
This troubling incident occurs in the context of a rising trend of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, which has strained relations between India and Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' interim government in Dhaka. India has repeatedly voiced its concerns regarding the atrocities committed against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. Previously, India rejected a statement from Bangladesh regarding violence in West Bengal amid protests over the amended Waqf Bill, advising its eastern neighbor to concentrate on the protection of minorities within its borders. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that Bangladesh should cease its "unwarranted remarks and virtue signaling," and instead prioritize the protection of minority rights within its territory.
