UNDER THE HANDS OF EXTREMISTS: BANGLADESH CONTINUES WITH ATROCITIES ON HINDUS

WORLD RECAP

- ANSHU JOSHI

This week, in light of the deteriorating conditions in Bangladesh regarding the treatment of Hindus and other minority groups by the extremist government, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri expressed India's concerns regarding the safety and security of these communities. He urged the interim government to adopt a more constructive approach during a Foreign Office Consultation with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Mohammad Jashim Uddin, in Dhaka. Additionally, he met with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who invited India to support his initiative aimed at revitalizing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). This visit marks the first by a senior Indian official since the student-led uprising that compelled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to seek refuge in India in August, a period during which bilateral relations have significantly declined following the interim government's assumption of power.

Misri's trip to the capital of Bangladesh occurred two weeks following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, the head of a Hindu religious organization advocating for the rights of minority communities in the country. The arrest of Das has further complicated the already strained relations between India and Bangladesh. Mr. Das is currently facing charges of sedition and has been denied bail, with his trial now rescheduled for the first week of January. There are indications that legal representatives are being obstructed from providing him with defense.