Hundreds of protesters rallied near the Bangladesh diplomatic mission in the Indian capital on Tuesday, pressing for an end to reported attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh after former premier Sheikh Hasina fled into exile in India in August.
The protesters demanded an intervention by the United Nations, carrying banners and placards that criticized the world body for not doing more to address the problems in Bangladesh. They also rejected claims by interim government officials in Bangladesh that the targeting of minorities was an internal matter.
"It's a very serious attack, a very sustained attack on the lives of the (Hindu) minority," said Veena Sikri, a former Indian ambassador to Bangladesh. Attacks on the livelihoods, homes and businesses of minorities in Bangladesh must stop, she said.
Scores of social and cultural organizations joined the protest in New Delhi a day after top Foreign Ministry officials from the two countries, Vikram Misri and Mohammad Jashim Uddin, met in Dhaka, the Bangladesh capital, to discuss their strained relations. It was the first high-level visit to Bangladesh by an Indian official since massive protests ended Hasina’s 15-year rule.
Following Hasina's ouster, minorities — and particularly Hindus — have reported widespread attacks in the Muslim-majority nation of Bangladesh, but Bangladesh says the reports are widely exaggerated.
Most Bangladeshi Hindus are thought to support Hasina’s secular Awami League party.
Tensions spiked over the recent arrest of a Hindu spiritual leader in Bangladesh, which is currently being run by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. India also stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshis, except for emergency medical visas, after Hasina fled. Many Indian nationals working on infrastructure projects also left Bangladesh because of security threats.
After Monday's meeting, Misri told reporters there was no reason for the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries to deteriorate.
“To that end, therefore, I have underlined today India’s desire to work closely with the interim government of Bangladesh,” he said.
