Bangladesh Violence: Muhammad Yunus Assures PM Narendra Modi of Protection of Minorities in Bangladesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with Bangladesh government's interim head and Noble Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus and extended India's full support in restoration of peace in the neighbouring country.In a post on X, PM Modi said that Yunus has assured protection, safety and security of Hindus and all minorities in Bangladesh. During the protests, many Hindu homes, shops, and businesses were targeted. Yunus met with Hindu community leaders earlier this week and promised their safety.

Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Thursday at the Red Fort, flagged concerns over the unrest in neighboring Bangladesh that led to a government change and attacks on Hindus and other minorities. The BJP leader had reassured Bangladesh of India’s continued support for its economic development. "As a neighbouring country, I can understand the concern regarding whatever has happened in Bangladesh. I hope that the situation there will become normal soon," he had said. The political turmoil in Bangladesh reached a climax on August 5, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, aged 76, fled the country by helicopter to India as protesters overran the streets of Dhaka.  Her 15-year rule, marked by allegations of human rights abuses, came to a dramatic end. The weeks leading up to her ousting were bloody, with more than 450 dying during the unrest. 

Members of Ms Hasina's Awami League party went into hiding, and the country plunged into further instability. According to reports from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, there have been at least 205 incidents of attacks on minority communities across 52 districts since Ms Hasina's departure. Thousands of Bangladeshi Hindus have sought refuge in India, fearing for their safety in the volatile environment.