On Thursday, The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India lodged a “strong protest” with Dhaka over controversial statements made by a key aide of Bangladesh’s interim government, Mahfuj Alam. Cautioning leaders in the neighbouring country, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi wants to “remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments”.
“We have registered our strong protest on this issue (comments by Mahfuj Alam) with the Bangladesh side. We understand that the post being referred to has reportedly been taken down. We would like to remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments. While India has repeatedly signalled interest in fostering relations with the people and the interim government of Bangladesh, such comments underline the need for responsibility in public articulation,” he further added.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Alam said India should recognise the uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Hasina was forced to resign after facing violent protests against reservations in government jobs. She fled from Dhaka in a military plane in August.
New Delhi on Thursday expressed concern at incidents of violence targeting Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and said the interim government in Dhaka has the primary responsibility of protecting their life and liberty The MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated New Delhi’s interest in fostering relations with Bangladesh’s interim government, while adding that such comments “underline the need for responsibility in public articulation.
