Dhaka
India has taken a strong stand on the controversial remarks made by Mahfouz Alam, advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government chief Mohammad Yunus. Mahfooz Alam had claimed in a Facebook post that India should accept the movement that followed the resignation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Along with this, he also posted a wrong map of Bangladesh, in which parts of Bengal, Tripura and Assam of India were described as part of Bangladesh. In this post, India was accused of adopting policies to keep Bangladesh in its grasp and Bangladesh should expand its territory to achieve true independence. However, as the controversy escalated, Mahfooz Alam removed this post after a few hours.
This comment holds special importance because this post of Mahfooz Alam was published on 16 December 2024. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani Army surrendered to the Indian Army, after which East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, became independent. This day is celebrated every year as Victory Day in Bangladesh and India. After Mahfooz Alam’s post went viral, the Ministry of External Affairs of India immediately lodged its strong objection. On December 20, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have lodged our strong objection with the Bangladeshi authorities on this matter. “We have received information that the post has reportedly been removed.” He further said, “India always wishes to maintain good relations with the people of Bangladesh and the interim government, but comments like this highlight the need for responsibility in public discourse.”
Recently, there has been an increase in incidents of violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Last August, students in Bangladesh organized a massive protest against the government, which later turned into violent demonstrations. After these demonstrations, Sheikh Hasina had to resign and she came to India to seek refuge. After this incident, attacks on the Hindu community increased in Bangladesh, which also increased the tension between the two countries. India’s External Affairs Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that 2200 incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities have been recorded in Bangladesh in 2024. The ministry urged both Bangladesh and Pakistan to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities in their countries.
