2,400 incidents of atrocities on minorities in Bangladesh in 2024, 72 in 2025: Jaishankar in LS

Calling Pakistan a country with a “fanatical mindset”, Jaishankar said the Centre had taken a sympathetic view of persecuted minorities coming from there and given them long-term visas. The minister said that 50,019 such visas had been issued since 2014.

Jaishankar offered these details in Question Hour when members expressed concern over the treatment of minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Jaishankar asserted that India had taken up the issue of these atrocities on international forums. “In February, our representative at the UN Human Rights Council pointed to human rights violations, persecution of minorities and systematic erosion of democratic values as state policy (in Pakistan). It brazenly harbours UN-sanctioned terrorists. Our ambassador in the UN general assembly underlined the fanatical mindset of Pakistan just two weeks ago,” he said.

Asked about Bangladesh, Jaishankar said: “We track welfare and wellbeing of minorities in Bangladesh. In 2024, we have had altogether 24,00 incidents relating to attacks on minorities, and in 2025, 72 incidents. We have the details of these incidents. I have taken it up with my counterpart. The Foreign Secretary took it up when he visited Bangladesh, and this continues to be a matter of concern for the Government of India.”

The BJP’s Nishikant Dubey pointed out that there had been four agreements between India and Pakistan on protection of minorities till date, and sought to know whether these needed to be redone to ensure safety of minorities there. Jaishankar replied that many of the agreements “in reality do not apply any more”, as Pakistan did not protect its minorities. “We take a sympathetic view if people from minority communities in Pakistan come here. We have given them long-term visas. 50,019 visas have been granted since 2014 for minorities from Pakistan coming here,” he underlined.