Muhammad Yunus assured protection of Hindus, all minorities in Bangladesh: PM Narendra Modi

Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has assured protection, safety and security of Hindus and all religious minorities in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

Modi said that he had received a phone call from Yunus, who took over as the chief advisor to the interim government in Dhaka on August 8.

“Exchanged views on the prevailing situation,” Modi said in a social media post. “Reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh.”

In a social media post, Yunus said that he told Modi that the reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh “have been exaggerated”. Yunus added that he was inviting Indian journalists to report from the ground in Bangladesh “on the issues of the minority protection”.

Dhaka is “committed to safeguarding every citizen of the country including the minorities”, Yunus told Modi when the Indian prime minister raised the issue of the protection of minorities, according to the chief advisor’s office.

On Modi’s invitation, Yunus agreed to join virtually the Third Voice of Global South Summit that will be held in New Delhi on Saturday.

The conversation between Yunus and Modi comes after several parts of Bangladesh reported incidents of violence against religious minorities, following the collapse of Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5.

In his Independence Day speech on Thursday, Modi...

Read more