BANGLADESH has criticised US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard over her remarks on religious violence in the country, calling them unfounded and potentially harmful to sectarian relations.
Gabbard, who arrived in India this week on a diplomatic visit, made the comments in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV on Monday. When asked about violence in Bangladesh, she referred to the "long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities" and said these were areas of concern for the US government.
She also stated that Islamist extremism remained a "central focus" and noted that the Trump administration had raised the issue with Bangladesh's government.
In response, Bangladesh issued a statement late Monday rejecting Gabbard’s remarks as "misleading" and "damaging" to the country’s reputation.
"Political 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," the statement said.
Hindus constitute about eight percent of Bangladesh's 170 million population. In the aftermath of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ousting in August, several attacks targeted Hindus, who were perceived by some as supporters of her government.
The caretaker administration that replaced Hasina has maintained that these incidents were politically motivated rather than religious in nature. It has also accused Indian media and officials of spreading misinformation about the threats to Hindus in Bangladesh.
Gabbard previously met Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in Washington last month following her appointment as director of national intelligence under president Donald Trump.
On Monday, she met Modi again in New Delhi and, during a speech at a geopolitical conference, spoke about strengthening US-India relations. "I am confident that this partnership and friendship between our two nations and our leaders will continue to grow and strengthen," she said.
(With inputs from AFP)
Damian Talbot