The minority community in Bangladesh wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue of their security with Dhaka (reprentational image)
The minority community in Bangladesh wants Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the issue of their security with Dhaka after the recent attacks on Hindus and other communities in the country.
"India being a Hindu majority should do something. We have high hopes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.," Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and noted Human Rights activist, told PTI.
A 60-year-old ashram worker, Nityaranjan Pandey, was hacked to death on June 10 by suspected extremists - fourth person from the minority community to be killed in a series of attacks on activists in Bangladesh.
"Stability in the Indian subcontinent region can never be achieved with Bangladesh turning into a fundamental state," Dasgupta, who is also Prosecutor of International Crimes Tribunal, said.
A week before, a priest, a Christian grocer and wife of an anti-terror police officer were killed. In February this year, extremists stabbed to death a priest at a temple.
In April, a professor was killed in Rajshahi city followed by the murder of a tailor of minority community. Bangladesh's first gay magazine editor was also killed. Bangladesh witnessed a series of attacks on secular and liberal bloggers in 2015.
"Unless India puts pressure on Bangladesh, the fundamentalists won't budge," well-known actor of Bangladesh and former managing director of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation Piyush Bandopadhaya said.
"India is a major power in the region, it can't sit idle when minorities are being brutally slaughtered in a neighbouring country," he said.
As the minority leaders are expecting Indian government to take up the cause of the minorities, a senior Bangladesh minister feels these attacks are actually aimed at creating hurdles in the functioning of the secular and liberal Awami League government.
"We have taken several steps to ensure the safety and security of minorities and strict action will be taken against the culprits," Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told PTI over phone from Dhaka.
When asked what would Dhaka do if India wants to take up the cause of security of Hindus, Inu said, "India and Bangladesh share very good relations. India is our friend. If India wants to take up a matter with us, we will talk. There is no harm in it."