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The central government has formed a high-level committee to monitor the situation on the Indo-Bangladesh border and the safety of Indians and Hindu minorities in Bangladesh as the unrest continues, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday.
The decision comes as reports of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh facing attacks and thousands from the neighbouring country attempting to infiltrate into India during the anti-government protests in Bangladesh that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government.
"In light of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Modi government has constituted a committee to monitor the current situation on the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). The committee will maintain communication channels with their counterparts in Bangladesh to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals, Hindus, and other minority communities living there," Amit Shah said.
The committee will be headed by the Assistant Director General (ADG) of the Eastern Command of the Border Security Force.
Sheikh Hasina resigned as Bangladesh's Prime Minister and fled the country on August 5 following weeks of deadly protests that began as an agitation against a job quota and surged into a movement demanding her resignation. Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge as the head of the interim government in Bangaldesh on Thursday. However, the situation remains volatile.
As protests ruled the streets after Hasina's resignation, multiple instances of mobs targeting Hindu temples, Indian cultural establishments, and residences of people from the Hindu community were reported in Bangladesh. Several Indians, including students and traders and other employees, were also trapped in the violence-hit country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extending his wishes to Yunus on Thursday, said that he hopes for an early return of normalcy and to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minority communities.
He said, "We hope for an early return to normalcy, ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities," adding, "India remains committed to working with Bangladesh to fulfil the shared aspirations of both our peoples for peace, security and development".
The United Nations also raised concerns about the attacks against minorities in Bangladesh. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he stands against any racially based attacks or incitement to violence.
“What we've made clear is that we want to ensure the violence that has been occurring in Bangladesh in recent weeks is brought under control. Certainly, we stand against any racially based attacks or incitement to violence,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said.
Muhammad Yunus also appealed for peace and vowed to restore peace and normalcy in the region, promising strict action against the perpetrators of violence.
