Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh treats its citizens equally, not as minority groups, at a meeting with Indian President Ram Nath Kovind
The two leaders met at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday and discussed attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh during the Durga Puja celebrations in October.
Kovind arrived in Dhaka for a three-day visit to attend the celebrations of 50 years of Bangladesh’s victory over Pakistan in the Liberation War, and the closing of celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam met Kovind at the hotel earlier and briefed the media after Hasina paid a courtesy call on the Indian president.
“While speaking about the problems that occurred during Durga Puja, the prime minister said no one is treated as a minority in Bangladesh and everyone is given equal rights,” said Shahriar.
Attacks by religious fanatics during Durga Puja in parts of Bangladesh left at least eight people dead and dozens of others injured.
The attackers vandalised, torched and looted about 70 puja venues, 30 homes and 50 shops after an allegation of sacrilege spread on social media.
Police arrested hundreds of suspects in nearly 100 cases over the attacks.
Momen said the two MPs of Assam who are accompanying Kovind praised Hasina’s policy on religion.
