Bangladesh issue discussed at US State Department briefing

The issue of Bangladesh was raised during the latest US State Department press briefing, where a journalist posed several questions related to both India and Bangladesh. However, spokesperson Tammy Bruce did not directly address any of the specific inquiries. Full details of the briefing are available on the US State Department's website.

During the regular press briefing on Tuesday (July 8), a journalist raised questions about the Quad Alliance and recent events in India and Bangladesh. He began by highlighting India’s stance in the Quad, referencing a recent statement by Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, who said that India has the right to defend itself against terrorism and expressed hope that the other members of the alliance would understand this position.

In reference to this, the journalist noted, "India shares a long border with Bangladesh. However, last week, a firearm magazine was discovered in the bag of interim government adviser Asif Mahmud during an airport security check in Dhaka. There are allegations connecting it to illegal weapons used during the 2024 anti-government protests."

“Recently in Dhaka, a Hindu temple named ‘Shree Shree Durga Mandir’ was demolished by government-operated bulldozers. In a separate incident, a Hindu barber was reportedly subjected to mistreatment,” he added.

At that point, spokesperson Tammy Bruce attempted to interrupt the line of questioning. However, as the journalist pressed on and asked about the US position, Bruce refrained from directly addressing the allegations, stating, “The issues concerning India and Bangladesh are complex and involve nuanced diplomacy. The United States is aware of this.”

She added, “We only speak for our own position. It is not our role to evaluate the statements made by other countries, such as India.”

Later in the briefing, when asked again about the Quad, Bruce referred reporters to the individual statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the joint statement issued by the Quad partners.