DHAKA: Bangladesh has rebuked Washington\u2019s intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, saying her comments on religious violence in the South Asian country were unfounded and risked fanning sectarian tensions.
\nGabbard arrived this week for a diplomatic trip to India, whose relations with Bangladesh have soured since a student-led uprising overthrew the latter nation\u2019s government last year.
\nNew Delhi has repeatedly accused its Muslim-majority neighbor of failing to adequately protect its minority Hindu citizens \u2013 charges denied by the caretaker administration now in charge.
\nBut Gabbard appeared to give credence to the claims when she was asked about violence in Bangladesh during a Monday interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV.
\n\u201cThe long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities… have been a major area of concern for the US government,\u201d she said in response.
\nShe added that the issue, along with Islamist extremism, remained \u201ccentral focus areas of concern\u201d and said the Trump administration has already raised them with the Bangladeshi government.
\nBangladesh responded in a statement late Monday that Gabbard\u2019s comments were both \u201cmisleading\u201d and \u201cdamaging\u201d to the country\u2019s image and reputation.
\n\u201cPolitical leaders and public figures should base their statements, especially on sensitive issues, on actual knowledge and take care not to reinforce harmful stereotypes, fan fears, or potentially stoke sectarian tensions,\u201d the statement said.
\nHindus make up about eight percent of Bangladesh\u2019s 170 million people.
\nIn the chaotic days following the August ouster of autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, there was a string of attacks on Hindus \u2013 seen by some as having backed her rule.
\nThe caretaker government that replaced her has insisted that many of those attacks were motivated by politics rather than religion.
\nIt has also accused India\u2019s media and government of spreading disinformation exaggerating threats to Bangladeshi Hindus.
\nGabbard met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington last month soon after her confirmation as director of national intelligence under President Donald Trump.
\nThe pair met again on Monday and Gabbard used a speech to a geopolitical conference in New Delhi to praise the enduring partnership between the United States and India.
\n\u201cI am confident that this partnership and friendship between our two nations and our leaders will continue to grow and strengthen,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DHAKA: Bangladesh has rebuked Washington\u2019s intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, saying her comments on religious violence in the South Asian country were unfounded and risked fanning sectarian tensions. Gabbard arrived this week for a diplomatic trip to India, whose relations with Bangladesh have soured since a student-led uprising overthrew the latter nation\u2019s government last year. New […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467737,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-467720","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n