Bangladesh govt says MEA statement on Hindu leader’s arrest ‘unfounded’ contrary to their friendship

Dhaka, Nov 26 (PTI) Bangladesh on Tuesday reacted sharply to the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement on the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, saying it was “unfounded” and stood contrary to the spirit of friendship between the two countries.
     In its statement, Dhaka said it does not interfere with the country’s judiciary, which is fully independent.
     Bangladesh police on Monday arrested Das, the leader of the Hindu group, Sammilita Sanatani Jote, from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka.
     Bangladesh said that “such unfounded statements not only misrepresent facts but also stand contrary to the spirit of friendship and understanding between the two neighbouring countries”.
     Hours earlier, the MEA had said it has noted with "deep concern the arrest and denial of bail" to Das who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote.
     "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh," it said.
     Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the MEA statement does not reflect the harmony that exists among the peoples of all faiths in the country.
     Dhaka said the MEA statement “completely disregards that the Bangladesh government is determined to end the culture of impunity to the perpetrators of gross human rights violations against the people of the country.
     “Bangladesh reaffirms in the strongest terms that every Bangladeshi, regardless of his or her religious identity, has the right to establish, maintain or perform respective religious rituals and practices or express views without hindrance.
     “Ensuring safety and security of all citizens, particularly the members of religious minorities remains a duty of the Government of Bangladesh,” it said.
     Bangladesh is also committed to upholding communal harmony in the country, it said.
     The statement also added that the Bangladesh government is deeply concerned over the brutal killing of advocate Saiful Islam Alif this afternoon in Chattogram.
     Authorities have stepped up security in the port city to ensure that religious harmony is maintained at any cost, it added.
     Assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam was killed on Tuesday during clashes between security personnel and followers of the Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a court in the port city of Chattogram.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)