India has raised serious concerns about the issue of violent extremists in Bangladesh, urging the country’s interim government to take stronger action to protect religious minorities, particularly Hindus, and their institutions. At the same time, India and Bangladesh held their 86th meeting on the Ganga Water Treaty in Kolkata, discussing vital issues related to the sharing of water resources from the Ganga River.
Responding to media queries during the weekly briefing on Friday (March 7, 2025) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Randhir Jaiswal said, “We remain concerned about the deteriorating law and order situation, further worsened by the release of violent extremists, who were sentenced for serious crimes.”
India has long underlined the responsibility of Bangladesh’s interim government to safeguard the rights of its minority communities, particularly Hindus. Jaiswal added, “It is crucial for Bangladesh to protect religious institutions and ensure that perpetrators of violence, including killings and arson, are brought to justice without any political distinctions.”
According to Jaiswal, recent reports indicate a rise in politically motivated violence, with over 2,374 incidents of unrest reported in Bangladesh from August 2024 to February 2025, of which only 1,254 were verified by police.
In a separate matter, India and Bangladesh held the 86th meeting of the Joint Committee responsible for overseeing the Ganga Water Treaty on March 6, 2025, in Kolkata. Responding to another question, Jaiswal said that the technical meeting, part of a structured process to ensure fair distribution of water from the Ganga River, allowed both countries to address issues concerning water flow measurements and the ongoing management of the river’s resources. The Ganga Water Treaty, signed in 1996, has been central to India-Bangladesh cooperation, and both countries reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the treaty’s terms.
Responding to another question, Jaiswal also highlighted the importance of development cooperation between the two nations. And acknowledged that the security situation had impacted the pace of certain joint projects but repeated India’s assurance to advancing development initiatives, pending necessary clearances from the Bangladeshi government.