Minorities’ protection absolutely critical, says the US on Bangladesh 

The United States has laid emphasis on ensuring protection for religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh, saying they are closely monitoring the developments in Bangladesh. 

John Kirby, the national security communication adviser, made the disclosure while speaking at a press briefing in the White House on Thursday. 

While placing a query, a journalist noted that over the past few weeks, several Hindu American groups across the country have been holding protest marches — one outside the White House over the weekend. They are protesting against the "continued killings of Hindus and the temples in Bangladesh" after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government.

He asked if the US president is aware of the issues, and if he talked about it during his meeting with Bangladesh's interim government chief, Dr Muhammad Yunus, on the sidelines of the UN meeting.

In response, John Kirby said, “We are watching this very, very, very closely, and the president is following events closely as well. The security situation in Bangladesh has been difficult following the ouster of the former prime minister, and we have been working closely with the interim government to enhance the capability of their law enforcement and security services to deal with the challenge.” 

He further said, “We have been very clear in our engagement with all Bangladeshi leaders that protection of religious and ethnic minorities is absolutely critical, and the leaders of the interim government have repeatedly committed to providing security to all Bangladeshis, regardless of religion or ethnicity.”