Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly rejected India's recent concerns regarding attacks on minorities within its borders, dismissing them as misrepresentations of ground realities.

The rebuttal, issued on Sunday, 28 December 2025, responds directly to statements from India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, which highlighted violence against minority communities, particularly Hindus.

Dhaka categorically denies any systemic persecution, emphasising Bangladesh's longstanding tradition of communal harmony. The ministry accuses certain Indian quarters of amplifying isolated criminal acts into narratives of targeted minority oppression, allegedly to stoke anti-Bangladesh sentiments across India.

It points to a selective bias in reporting, where individual incidents are exaggerated and propagated to incite ordinary Indians against Bangladesh's diplomatic missions and establishments in India. The statement urges restraint from spreading such misleading narratives that erode good-neighbourly relations and mutual trust.

In a specific rebuttal, Bangladesh addresses one case cited by India's MEA: the killing of an individual portrayed as a minority victim. Dhaka clarifies that the deceased was a listed criminal engaged in extortion alongside a Muslim accomplice, who was subsequently arrested. Framing this as minority persecution, it argues, is factually inaccurate and deliberately misleading.

This diplomatic exchange unfolds against a backdrop of political flux in Bangladesh. The return of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman to Dhaka after 17 years in exile, coupled with a ban on Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, has intensified domestic tensions and drawn international scrutiny.

India, on Thursday, reaffirmed its commitment to free, fair, inclusive, and participatory elections in Bangladesh. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored New Delhi's desire for close, friendly ties with the Bangladeshi people, rooted in the 1971 liberation struggle and bolstered by extensive development and people-to-people initiatives.

The spat highlights persistent frictions in India-Bangladesh relations, once bolstered by shared history but now strained by minority rights, border security, and political instability. Bangladesh's interim government, navigating post-Hasina challenges, appears keen to project internal stability while countering external critiques.

India's repeated voicing of minority concerns stems from reports of temple vandalism, assaults, and property seizures since Hasina's ouster in August 2024. New Delhi views these as symptomatic of broader radicalisation risks, potentially destabilising the shared border and regional security.

Bangladesh counters that such portrayals ignore its proactive measures, including arrests and legal actions against perpetrators. The foreign ministry insists that criminality, not communal targeting, drives most incidents, urging a focus on facts over politicised amplification.

This episode risks further complicating bilateral cooperation on trade, water-sharing, and connectivity projects like the Maitri Setu bridge. With Bangladesh's elections looming, India's stance signals a calibrated approach: supporting democratic processes while safeguarding minority interests.

Geopolitically, the rhetoric aligns with Bangladesh's efforts to diversify partnerships beyond India, engaging China and others amid economic pressures. India's concerns, meanwhile, resonate domestically, where minority safety in neighbouring states bolsters its strategic narrative in South Asia.

As tensions simmer, both sides emphasise dialogue. Bangladesh calls for mutual trust, while India prioritises people-centric relations. Resolving these divergences will test the resilience of their 1972 friendship treaty framework.

The coming weeks, with Rahman’s BNP gaining ground and Awami League sidelined, could amplify minority vulnerabilities—or prompt Dhaka to demonstrate inclusivity. International observers, including the UN, watch closely for electoral fairness amid these cross-border barbs.

Ultimately, downplaying incidents as "isolated criminal acts" underscores Bangladesh's bid to control its narrative. Yet, India's persistence suggests New Delhi will maintain pressure, balancing support for stability with advocacy for shared values of pluralism.

Based On ANI Report