Bangladesh’s minister remarks about the Prophet (PBUH) says its an internal matter of India

• The controversy is an “internal issue” for India, and it is not an attention-getting matter in Bangladesh, minister says.
• Hasan Mahmud congratulated the Indian government for taking legal action in the case.
• He stressed that any comment defaming the Prophet should be condemned.

A senior Bangladeshi minister dismisses criticism that the country’s government is “compromising” on the issue, which was sparked by remarks made by two former BJP functionaries against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). The controversy is an “internal issue” for India, and it is not an attention-getting matter in Bangladesh, unlike in some other Muslim countries, he said.

Hasan Mahmud, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, also “congratulated” the Indian government for taking legal action in the case, and stressed that any comment defaming the Prophet (PBUH) should be condemned.

He told a group of visiting Indian journalists that a FIR had been filed in India on the matter and that he hoped that further action would be taken.

In response to a query regarding extremists accusing the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of compromising on the issue, he replied, “Bangladesh’s administration has made no concessions on the matter of anti-Muslim statements and will not do so in the future. It’s something I’ve condemned myself… In a public meeting, I spoke out against the subject.”

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Mahmud referred to the situation as an “external affair” for his country because the Bangladesh government did not openly condemn it.

“It is not a domestic (Bangladesh) issue, but rather an international one. This is a domestic issue in India. When anything like this happens elsewhere in the globe, some Islamic parties protest here as well, and this is a common occurrence.” he stated.

According to him, it is not as much of a focus in Bangladesh as it is in Arab countries, Pakistan, and Malaysia.

“‘Anything said anywhere against Prophet Mohammad should be denounced.’ We applaud the Indian government for pursuing legal action against individuals who made derogatory remarks about the Prophet “Mahmud said.

After their provocative remarks against the Prophet, the BJP suspended national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and fired Delhi media chief Naveen Kumar Jindal in an attempt to defuse a conflict over the matter.

In response to Muslim groups’ objections, the party published a statement intended at assuaging minorities’ fears and distancing itself from these individuals, stating that it respects all religions and vehemently condemns the insulting of any religious personality.

“The same thing happens here in Bangladesh,” the minister added, adding that statements made by Indian politicians against Bangladesh and its people often make headlines here owing to internal politics.

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“We have extremely tight ties with India, and we understand that presidents say a lot of things due of internal politics.” In answer to a question about Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks, Mahmud remarked, “We do not expect any clarification surrounding such words.” He referred to Bangladeshi migrants as “termites” in one of his lectures.

The Indian government donated 110 ambulances to Dhaka during the coronavirus outbreak, according to the minister, demonstrating the depth of the cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

The contentious remarks have been criticized by more than a dozen Muslim countries.

In connection with the insults about the Prophet, the Delhi Police have filed a FIR against Sharma, Jindal, and others.

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According to Mahmud, there are some “fanatic” groups in Bangladesh that, despite their small numbers and lack of funding, make a lot of noise.

He claims that these organizations’ assertions sometimes succeed in attracting media attention in India.