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Joe Biden “closely watching” situation in Bangladesh
In a press briefing, the White House said the President was following the situation in Bangladesh “with great concern”.
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File Photo of Joe Biden / Reuters
The Joe Biden administration is closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a press briefing on Dec.12.
During the briefing, reporters raised the question of whether President Biden was aware of the Bangladesh situation and if he addressed it during his recent meeting with Muhammad Yunus, the leader of Bangladesh’s interim government, on the sidelines of the United Nations.
“We are watching this very, very closely, and the President is following the situation with great concern,” Kirby said.
The security situation in Bangladesh has become increasingly volatile since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government. In response, the US has been working with the interim government to strengthen its law enforcement and security capabilities.
Kirby stated the importance of protecting religious and ethnic minorities, stating, “We’ve been very clear in our engagement with all Bangladeshi leaders that the protection of minorities is critical.”
He also noted that the interim government has pledged to provide security to all Bangladeshis, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, and the US is committed to holding them accountable to these promises.
The situation in Bangladesh is rapidly escalating, with ongoing violence targeting the Hindu community. In response, the global community has united in protest, calling for an end to the violence and advocating for the protection of religious freedom.
The movement was sparked by the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sanatani Jagaran Mancha, on Nov. 25. His arrest occurred amid rising tensions and attacks on Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh. The incident also comes at a time when extremist factions in the country are calling for a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a movement with a strong presence in the region.
Indian-American organizations held peaceful rallies in Washington, DC, and Chicago to raise awareness about the rising violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The first rally, "Stop the Genocide: Save Hindu Lives in Bangladesh," was held on Dec. 8 in Chicago. Another event, titled "Genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh," took place on Dec. 9 near the White House in Washington, DC.
Both rallies were led by HinduAction, an advocacy group, along with other community leaders.
On Dec. 11, members of the Canadian Hindu community gathered outside the Bangladeshi Consulate in Toronto to protest the ongoing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
The Michigan Kalibari group also organized a demonstration at Hamtramck City Center in Michigan on Dec. 8 to show support for Bangladesh’s Hindu community.
The protestors urged the US President to advocate for justice and protection for Hindus in Bangladesh, holding American and Bangladeshi flags to highlight the challenges faced by the Hindu minority.
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