NEW DELHI: India on Friday rejected Bangladesh’s interim government’s allegations linking New Delhi to recent violence in Khagrachhari district, calling the claims “false and baseless” and accusing Dhaka of shifting blame for its law-and-order lapses.
Responding to comments by Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “We categorically reject these false and baseless allegations. The interim government of Bangladesh is unable to maintain law and order in the country and has a habit of routinely trying to shift the blame elsewhere.”
Jaiswal urged Bangladesh to focus on internal accountability rather than external scapegoating. “It would do well for them to introspect and conduct serious investigations into the actions of local extremists committing violence, arson, and land grabs against the minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts,” he said.
The strong response comes after Chowdhury attempted to pin the blame for the ongoing unrest on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and alleged Indian involvement. He claimed, without offering evidence, that “certain quarters” were trying to provoke sectarian tensions during the Durga Puja festival.
The Khagrachhari district has witnessed a surge in violence since Sunday, following reports of the alleged gang rape of a tribal girl. The incident sparked clashes between tribal groups and Bengali settlers in the area, resulting in at least three deaths and leaving at least a dozen others injured, including 13 army personnel and three policemen.
Authorities have since imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 to curb gatherings, but tensions remain high and sporadic violence continues despite the crackdown, with residents reportedly staying indoors amid fear of fresh clashes.
India’s firm dismissal of the allegations underscores growing sensitivities, particularly over issues concerning minority rights and internal stability in Bangladesh's volatile hill tracts.