Washington: A US State Department official said that his country is in touch with India and other countries in the region on the Bangladesh issue. The official said that the US wants the violence in Bangladesh to end. US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in his daily press conference, "We are continuously making efforts to end violence in Bangladesh, accountability and respect for the rule of law." He was responding to a question about the dialogue between India and the US on the situation in Bangladesh after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. 

There is contact with other countries including India

Vedant Patel said, "We are in touch with our Indian partners as well as other countries in the region to discuss recent developments in Bangladesh." He also welcomed the statement of Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus in which he called for ending the violence and maintaining peace. Patel said, "We welcome the decisions of the new governments to restore the security and protection of the people of the minority community." 

'Silence is unacceptable'

Meanwhile, the Hindu American Foundation on Wednesday urged the White House to take action to protect the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. "According to the latest reports, the President (Joe Biden) is not commenting on the plight of Bangladeshi Hindus despite continuous reports of attacks," the foundation said. "Demand action now! The silence of the President, Vice President and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on atrocities against Bangladeshi Hindus is unacceptable. Lives lost, homes and temples destroyed - yet there is no condemnation from our US government," the foundation said in a post on the social media platform 'X'.

'Bangladesh will be a Taliban country'

Hindu Action, an NGO in Washington, claimed that Hindus in rural Bangladesh are being targeted the most. "Their remote location gives them more leeway and time to target. Now that Muhammad Yunus is the new caretaker leader, the Vice President and the Foreign Ministry should work on grassroots education and awareness that will ensure that anti-Hindu sentiments are removed from the country's madrasa curriculum and general thinking," the NGO said on X. The NGO also said, "We hope the President and his advisers will realize that if Bangladesh loses its last eight percent Hindus, it will be a Taliban country."