Interim government's Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain said that the recent attacks on minorities in various parts of the country are politically motivated, not religious.
"We have observed that even religiously affiliated parties have made efforts to ensure the safety of minorities. Our commitment is to ensure fair justice for every incident of murder or conflict, regardless of political affiliation," he said while speaking to journalists on Sunday (11 August).
However, he emphasised that this does not justify violence, vandalism, or conflict for political reasons. "Minorities require additional security, and we are working towards that," he added.
The adviser also said Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus will sit with all representatives of the minority communities soon.
He hoped the law and order situation would significantly improve within a week.
Asked whether the government will bring back former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said this is an issue for the Law Ministry and they will act only if they receive any such request from the Law Ministry.
Addressing Bangladesh's foreign relations with other countries, Md. Touhid Hossain said, "Our duty is to protect our national interests. In doing so, our policy is to maintain good relations with all countries. We aim to foster friendly relations so that both parties can benefit."
He further said, "As an interim government, our role is to set the parameters for governance. The next administration will continue the work. We do face some limitations; we cannot always deliver the services we wish to provide."
Regarding Bangladeshi expatriates, he said, "During the political movements, some of our expatriates were detained in certain countries for violating local laws, perhaps due to their emotional involvement. However, we cannot blame those countries for enforcing their laws. We will do our utmost to ensure they do not face severe punishment."
He also highlighted the issue of low wages for Bangladeshi workers abroad, saying, "Our workers are paid the lowest wages, and this is partly our fault. We must ensure that our workers receive fair wages."
