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India has called the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh to be ‘fair and participatory’ even though the law-and-order situation continues to deteriorate with reports atrocities against minority Hindu population refuses to die down.

On Friday the 26th of December 2025, Randhir Jaiswal, the Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that ‘India stands for strengthening ties with the people of Bangladesh. We favour peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh.”

Randhir was replying to media questions during his weekly presser given the fact that Awami League the largest political party in Bangladesh led by Sheikh Hasina has been banned to take part the elections if they are held in February 2026.

The MEA said it was closely monitoring the situation following the return of former prime minister’s son Tarique Rahman, even as concerns persist over the broader political and social environment.

Alongside the electoral context, India on Friday also condemned the killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh, describing the incident as a “matter of great concern.

“The MEA linked its concerns to the wider issue of minority safety and the prevailing law and order situation in the country. The Ministry noted that independent assessments have documented more than 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities during the tenure of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, including cases of killings, arson and land grabbing.

Reacting to the latest killing, Jaiswal said, “The unremitting hostility against minorities in Bangladesh is a matter of great concern. We condemn the recent killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh and expect that the perpetrators of the crime will be brought to justice.

“The MEA’s comments follow recent incidents involving the lynching of Hindu men in Bangladesh, which have renewed focus on minority security concerns.

According to police, a 29-year-old Hindu man, Amrit Mandal, was killed on Thursday in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district, as reported by The Daily Star.