For the first time, Bangladesh has confirmed 88 attacks targeting minorities mostly Hindus since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August. The figure was given by Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus. He confirmed that 70 people had been arrested in connection with communal violence.
Reports quoted him as saying that “The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have been reported in the northeast (Sunamganj), central (Ghazipur) and other areas.”
He hinted that some of those victims could have been members of the former ruling party the Awami League. Or they were the victims of personal disputes.
“Nevertheless since violence occurred the police are taking appropriate action,” he said.
These revelations came a day after India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s talks in Dhaka with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammad Jashimuddin.
While underscoring that India wanted good relations with Bangladesh and was willing to work with the new government, Misri flagged his concern about attacks on minorities and their places of worship.
Bangladeshi diplomats were quoted as telling the Dhaka Tribune that the two sides need to reactivate over 80 bilateral mechanisms for dialogue on issues ranging from water sharing and connectivity to border security and defence.
“These platforms usually facilitate 40 to 50 meetings annually,” said the Tribune report, “which work out to roughly two to three meetings per month. However since Aug 5, only three to four meetings have taken place. If the number of meetings gradually increased it would indicate increasing communication and cooperation.”
Resumption of normal visa services by India would be a huge positive signal from India, the report quoted an unnamed diplomat as saying.
In Washington DC, during the State Department briefing on Tuesday, Spokesman Matthew Miller, in response to a question said “We want to see all parties resolve their disagreements peacefully.”
