‘Hindus are our citizens’: Bangladesh top official Hossain refutes claims of violence, says ‘we are taking care of them’

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain on Tuesday said the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government was doing everything possible to protect its citizens. While talking to the media, Hossain has stressed that Hindus in Bangladesh are its citizens and the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government is ‘taking care of them’.

Hossain, who is in New York to participate in the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 79), was responding to a question about what the Bangladesh government is doing to stop the attacks on minorities and Hindus in the country.

"...It is correct that some violence has taken place, but any violence that has taken place is being shown as violence against Hindus, this is not correct...I think the Indian media needs to come out of this hyping of this issue. We are doing everything possible for the protection of our citizens and the Hindus in Bangladesh are our citizens, we are taking care of them..." Hossain said.

Earlier today, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Hossain on the sidelines of the UNGA79 in New York. It was the first bilateral meeting between both countries after a massive student protest that ousted the erstwhile Sheikh Hasina government and forced her to flee to India.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Ministry shared a picture of the meeting.

“Foreign Affairs Adviser, HE Md. Touhid Hossain and External Affairs Minister, HE @DrSJaishankar, met at #UNGA79 sidelines and discussed issues of mutual interest between #Bangladesh|#India.”

Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar too, posted a picture of the meeting. "Had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of Bangladesh in New York this evening. The conversation focused on our bilateral ties," Jaishankar said.

Separately, Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, arrived in the US on Tuesday to attend the UNGA session. Yunus faced protests outside his hotel in New York. Protestors raised "Go Back" slogans against Yunus over the alleged attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, reported ANI.

Protesters chanted, "Go back, step down, step down, step down" and held up posters which said "Shiekh Hasina Our Prime Minister."