'Hindus Targeted': Bangladesh Admits to 88 Incidents of Minority Violence Post-Hasina Exit

Dhaka: Muhammad Yunus-led Bangladesh government on Tuesday acknowledged incidents of violence against minorities, primarily Hindus in the country following the ouster of then-premier Sheikh Hasina in August this year.

Yunus' press secretary Shafiqul Alam in a press brief stated that a total of 88 incidents of violence related to minorities have been filed from August 5 to October 22. He added that 70 people have been arrested in those incidents.

This disclosure comes a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri flagged regrettable incidents of attacks on minorities and conveyed India's concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities, during his meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership.

"The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have also been reported in (northeastern Sunamganj, (central) Gazipur, and other areas," he said.

He added that there might be cases where some victims were members of the previous ruling party.

The government has so far insisted that other than a few incidents, Hindus were not attacked because of their faiths.

"Some attacks targeted individuals who were former members of the ruling party or they were the result of personal disputes. Nevertheless, since violence occurred, the police are taking appropriate action," he said.

Alam said that details regarding the incidents that took place after October 22 will be shared soon.

There have been a spate of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, as well as attacks on temples in Bangladesh in the last few weeks that triggered strong concerns in New Delhi.

(Inputs from PTI)