GUWAHATI: India has strongly condemned the brutal killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a prominent Hindu minority leader from northern Bangladesh, calling it part of a broader "pattern of systematic persecution" under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement, expressing distress over the kidnapping and murder of Roy, 58, and accusing Bangladesh’s interim government of failing to protect its Hindu minority community. Roy, who was vice-president of the Biral unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, was abducted from his home in Dinajpur district and later found dead after being brutally assaulted.
The incident has triggered outrage both domestically and internationally. India’s MEA reiterated that this killing follows similar attacks against Hindus, with perpetrators going unpunished. India called on the Bangladeshi government to uphold its responsibility to protect all minorities without excuses.
The Congress Party in India criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh, suggesting that his recent meeting with Yunus had failed to secure adequate protections for minorities in the neighbouring country. Meanwhile, the BJP defended the meeting, emphasising that foreign policy must be driven by national interests rather than political grievances.
The murder has raised alarm among human rights groups and diaspora communities, who have long expressed concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh. The killing is also a focal point in the ongoing political tensions in Bangladesh, particularly since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.
In response to the broader instability in Bangladesh, the United States has reissued a travel advisory, warning American citizens about potential threats including kidnappings, political violence, and attacks on religious minorities. The advisory highlights the need for prior approval from the Bangladeshi Ministry of Home Affairs for travel to certain regions.
The authorities in Bangladesh have initiated an investigation into Roy’s murder, with police working to identify the perpetrators, but tensions remain high as the incident continues to fuel both domestic and international outrage.
