Security up as RK Mission priest in Dhaka threatened

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 17

In a sign of further trouble for secular forces in Bangladesh, the security at the Ramakrishna Mission in Dhakha was today beefed up after one of its staff members received a death threat allegedly from the Islamic State militants in the country.

Bangladesh has recently seen Hindus and secular Moslems being hacked to death by extremist forces in the country. Though the Sheikh Hasina government has launched a nationwide crackdown on these extremist groups, the killings of minority leaders continues.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the Indian high commission in Dhaka "had contacted both Bangladesh police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and have been assured of full support and protection".

"We are also in direct contact with the Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka," Swarup said, adding that the Bangaldesh Government had strengthened police presence around the offices of the Ramakrishna Mission there.

One of the priests at the RK Mission had filed a complaint with the Dhaka police that he received a letter from the Islamic State Bangladesh chapter threatening his life.

The letter, according to the Daily Star, reads: "You are Hindus, Bangladesh is an Islamic country. You cannot preach Hindu religion in the country. Go to India. Otherwise, you will be hacked to death."