Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna asks Muhammad Yunus that Hindus should not be targeted in Bangladesh
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has asked the Interim government head Muhammad Yunus to ensure Hindus are no longer targeted by radicals in Bangladesh.
Several reports and social media posts have emerged on the social media which showed Hindu community members are targeted in the neighbouring nation amid ongoing violence in the country.
According to reports, radicals targeted and vandalised Hindu homes, and temples and looted markets in the country during the violence.
Ro Khanna posted on X: "Bangladeshi students had just human rights concerns against PM Hasina. It's good she is gone. But the violence now targeting Hindus is wrong. PM Yunus must uphold the rule of law & prevent the targeting of temples or people of any political party or faith from violence."
Bangladeshi students had just human rights concerns against PM Hasina. It's good she is gone. But the violence now targeting Hindus is wrong. PM Yunus must uphold the rule of law & prevent the targeting of temples or people of any political party or faith from violence.
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) August 8, 2024
The United States has welcomed the interim government's appeal to people to end the ongoing violence in the country which led to the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina.
US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said: "We welcome Dr. Yunus’s call for an end to the recent violence."
He said he is ready to work with Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh as it charts a democratic future for the people of the nation.
"We stand ready to work with the interim government and Dr. Yunus as it charts a democratic future for the people of Bangladesh," he said.
Signalling the beginning of a new era after 15 years of Sheikh Hasina's regime, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of the interim government in Bangladesh on Thursday.
"I will uphold, support and protect the constitution and will perform my duties sincerely," Yunus said at the swearing-in event.
The 84-year-old, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering microcredit and microfinance, which he put into action through the Grameen Bank, was sworn in hours after he returned to Dhaka from Paris, where he had been undergoing medical treatment.
The oath was administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at his official residence, Bangabhaban.
Bangladesh witnessed turmoil in recent weeks which began with students protesting against job quota and then it slowly spiralled into a mass movement that demanded former PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation.
The violence led to the death of over 300 people.
The showdown took a new turn when former PM Sheikh Hasina was forced to resign which led to the toppling of her government and ending her 15-year rule.
Hasina escaped to India in a helicopter.