Assam CM flags rising attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh as ‘deeply worrying’

Guwahati, Jan 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he is “deeply worried” about reports of increasing attacks on Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh, warning that developments there could have security implications for his state.

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati on Tuesday, Mr Sarma said the situation in Bangladesh required close monitoring, adding that unrest in the country could have repercussions across the border.

“It is deeply worrying for us what is happening in Bangladesh. The incidents of attacks on Hindus may have their effects in Assam. We will have to remain cautious and closely monitor the situation.”

The Chief Minister added that the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, coupled with evidence of growing jihadist activities in Assam over the past decade, pointed to a potential security threat unless the geopolitical situation in the neighbourhood improves.

Meanwhile, immigrant Bangladeshi Hindus and Buddhists staged a protest at the historic Republic Square in Paris, France, against the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.

The demonstration was jointly organised by the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, Paris, and the Bureau of Human Rights and Justice (BHRJ). Protesters demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for the killing of Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das, who was allegedly murdered on false charges of blasphemy.

In a statement, the BHRJ claimed that at least 187 Hindus were killed in the past year, 221 Hindu women were raped, and thousands of Hindu homes and businesses were attacked, vandalised or set on fire. It also alleged that attacks on Hindus on charges of blasphemy, along with the occupation of Hindu monasteries and temples, have become increasingly frequent in Bangladesh.

The protesters called for justice for persecuted minorities and urged an immediate end to all forms of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Relations between India and Bangladesh are being closely watched, particularly in north-eastern states, where cross-border migration and security concerns remain politically sensitive issues.