Although there are some isolated incidents, the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh is not at the level that some foreigners claim, Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain has said.
Khalid made the statement in response to a question from journalists during a press conference on Umrah visa complications at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Regarding US national intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard’s recent statement expressing concern over the alleged persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, the adviser said: "This has come to the knowledge of our government. We have repeatedly denied that the persecution of minorities in our country is at the level that foreigners claim.
"There are some isolated incidents, but we remain highly vigilant. Attacks and vandalism are also happening at some shrines. We are taking this very seriously and drawing the attention of law enforcement agencies."
He added: "If we can identify the criminals through CCTV footage, we will bring them under the law and ensure justice."
Khalid said: "We have statistics on how many people we have arrested. The ministry will officially brief [the media] on this. We are very aware of the situation."
In response to another question, the adviser said that the government is alert to ensure that no banned organizations can operate.
