The Bangladesh ministry of foreign affairs has pushed back against recent remarks by India on the situation of minorities in the country, calling the comments misleading and disconnected from facts on the ground.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Dhaka said its attention had been drawn to the comments made by the Indian side, which it called “false, exaggerated and misleading”, reported Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladesh “categorically rejects any narrative that misrepresents the country’s long-standing tradition of communal harmony,” the statement said.

The foreign ministry expressed concern over what it called a systematic attempt to project isolated criminal incidents as organised persecution of Hindus, warning that such narratives were being used to fuel anti-Bangladesh sentiment in parts of India.

According to the statement, some quarters were selectively publicising and misrepresenting incidents to incite ordinary Indians against Bangladesh, its diplomatic missions and institutions in India.

Addressing one of the incidents cited by the Indian MEA spokesperson, the ministry said the individual in question was a listed criminal who was killed during an extortion attempt involving a Muslim associate, who was arrested at the scene.

“Portraying the incident as a minority-related issue was not only inaccurate but also misleading,” the statement said.

Calling for restraint, Dhaka urged various quarters in India to refrain from spreading misleading narratives that could undermine good neighbourly relations and mutual trust.

The interim government had earlier maintained that police information and preliminary investigations showed the incident was not communal in nature.

According to the government, it arose from a violent situation linked to extortion and criminal activities.

The deceased was identified as top criminal Amrit Mondal alias Samrat, who had allegedly gone to the area to demand extortion money and was killed during a clash with local residents.

He was accused in several serious cases, including murder and extortion filed in 2023, and had outstanding arrest warrants, the statement said.

Police arrested Samrat’s associate Selim at the scene along with a foreign-made pistol and a pipe gun, the government added, noting that three cases have already been filed in connection with the incident.

While condemning the killing, the government reiterated that it does not support any form of unlawful activity, mob violence or vigilantism.

Legal action would be taken against all those directly or indirectly involved, it said, adding that law enforcement agencies were continuing their investigation.

The statement also expressed concern over attempts by a section of people to portray the incident as a communal attack by highlighting the religious identity of the deceased.

Such claims were called baseless and driven by ill intent, with a warning that they could damage social harmony and worsen the law and order situation.

Dhaka’s response came after India flagged what it called “unremitting hostilities” against minorities in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh foreign ministry, as quoted by Dhaka Tribune, rejected India’s position on the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh and said that “portraying the incident as a minority-related issue was not only inaccurate but also misleading”.

India’s ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during the weekly briefing on Friday, said the “unremitting hostility” against minorities in Bangladesh was a “matter of grave concern”.

“The unremitting hostilities against the minorities in Bangladesh including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern,” he said.

“We condemn the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh and expect that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice,” he added.

Jaiswal was referring to the December 18 lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, who was beaten to death by a mob after being accused of blasphemy in Mymensingh.

India also raised concerns over a wider pattern of violence against minorities following the political crisis triggered by the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Over 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities including cases of killings, arson and land grab have been documented by independent sources during the tenure of the interim government,” Jaiswal said.