India slams Bangladesh over Hindu leader’s murder, sparks diplomatic tensions

India has issued a strong condemnation of the brutal killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a senior Hindu leader in Bangladesh, criticising the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for what it called a “pattern of systematic persecution” against the country’s minority communities.

In an official statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, India expressed deep concern over Roy’s abduction and murder in northern Bangladesh’s Dinajpur district. “We have noted with distress the abduction and brutal killing of Shri Bhabesh Chandra Roy, a Hindu minority leader in Bangladesh,” the statement read. “This killing is yet another example of the continued violence against minorities, as perpetrators act without consequence.”

The Indian government urged the Bangladeshi administration to fulfill its obligation to protect all its citizens, regardless of religion. “The interim government must stop offering excuses and act decisively to safeguard minorities, including Hindus,” it added.

Roy, 58, was abducted from his home in Basudebpur village, approximately 330 kilometers from Dhaka.

According to reports, he received a suspicious phone call on Wednesday around 4:30 pm, which may have lured him outside. Shortly after, four men on motorcycles arrived at his residence and allegedly kidnapped him.

Local sources told The Daily Star that Roy was taken to Narabari village, where he was beaten. He was later dropped back at his home in an unconscious state and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The murder has sparked political tensions in India, with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic approach. Kharge questioned the effectiveness of Modi’s recent meeting with Muhammad Yunus, arguing that it failed to bring about real protection for minorities in Bangladesh.

“In Bangladesh, our Hindu brothers and sisters continue to suffer. The killing of Bhabesh Chandra Roy is proof that the Modi government’s diplomatic gestures have achieved little,” Kharge said. He also pointed to parliamentary data suggesting that 76 attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh have occurred over the past two months, leading to 23 deaths.

The BJP, in turn, accused Congress of politicising the issue and ignoring the plight of Hindus in India.

Meanwhile, the United States has updated its travel advisory for Bangladesh, urging American citizens to reconsider travel plans due to ongoing violence and instability in the region. The advisory highlighted concerns about kidnappings, attacks on religious minorities, and politically motivated violence, particularly in the wake of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure from office.

The U.S. government also warned that its own personnel are restricted from traveling to certain parts of Bangladesh unless they receive special clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.