India on Sunday (December 21) dismissed what it called 'misleading propaganda' circulating in sections of the Bangladesh media over a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi following the "horrendous killing" of Dipu Chandra Das, a member of the minority community, in Mymensingh.
Responding to media queries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the demonstration was peaceful, brief and posed no security concern. He said that a small group of around 20–25 youths had gathered outside the High Commission on December 20.
'Misleading propaganda'
"We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," MEA said in a statement.
"There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensure the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention," the statement added further.
'Want perpetrators to be brought to justice'
The MEA spokesperson further said that India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh. "Our officials remain in touch with Bangladesh authorities and have conveyed to them our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities," he said.
India has also urged Dhaka to ensure accountability in the killing of Dipu Chandra Das. "We have urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice," he added.
Security was heightened outside the Bangladesh embassy amid widespread violence erupting in Bangladesh over the death of Osman Hadi and the mob lynching of Dipu Chandra Das.
Unrest in Bangladesh
Following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, large-scale unrest erupted across Bangladesh earlier this week. Protests spread through Dhaka and surrounding areas after the Yunus-led interim government confirmed his death.
Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, was critically injured in an assassination attempt in Dhaka on December 12. He was later flown to Singapore for medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries, according to an official statement from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His death triggered widespread public anger, with Muhammad Yunus promising justice and warning of “no leniency” for those responsible.
Amid the turmoil, Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob on allegations of blasphemy, and his body was set ablaze on Friday. The killing drew strong condemnation in India and led to protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
At least ten people have been arrested in connection with the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, Chief Adviser of the interim government Muhammad Yunus announced Saturday.
Of the 10, seven were arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) while three were arrested by the police as suspects in the case, Yunus said in a statement on X.
According to the police, Das was first beaten up by a mob outside the factory over blasphemy allegations and hanged from a tree. The crowd then left the body of the deceased on the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and later set it on fire. The police recovered the body and sent it to the Mymensingh Medical College morgue for autopsy.
The Hindu population in Bangladesh has faced a series of anti-minority incidents across the country after the ouster of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year.
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