NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday revealed that the Hindu population in Bangladesh had increased by two percent.
Responding to questions in the Rajya Sabha,Ms. Swaraj tabled an official report which is in the contrary to a common perception that the number of Bangladeshi Hindus is rapidly declining.
During her speech at the Upper House of the Parliament, she also urged members to pass the pending Citizenship Act amendment bill help resolve issues pertaining to atrocities on minorities living in neighboring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, reported a leading agency.
“About the demographic changes in Bangladesh, as per statistics of the Bangladesh Bureau, in 2011 there were 8.4 per cent Hindus in the country, which has risen to 10.7 per cent in 2017.
“A perception that Hindus are migrating from Bangladesh and that their population is falling, has been formed,” she told the House.
In her written statement she said:
There have been reports of violence and harassment against members of minority communities in neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, which include killings, persecution, intimidation, abduction, forced conversions, desecrations and vandalization of places of worship and attacks on business establishments. These incidents are a matter of concern to the Government. Concerns in the matter are regularly conveyed to the respective countries at bilateral level.