India on Friday expressed concern over the “deteriorating law and order” situation in Bangladesh, saying it has been worsened by the “release of violent extremists” who were previously sentenced for serious crimes.

“We remain concerned about the deteriorating law & order situation, further exacerbated by the release of violent extremists who were sentenced for serious crimes,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing.

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He, however, clarified that India supports a stable, peaceful, inclusive and progressive Bangladesh in which all issues are resolved through democratic means and by holding inclusive and participatory elections.

In response to a question, he said the 86th meeting of the Joint Committee overseeing the Ganga Water Treaty took place on March 6 in Kolkata.

This routine technical meeting, scheduled three times a year, is part of the structured mechanism established to ensure the implementation of the treaty signed in 1996, he noted.

“At the meeting, the two sides discussed technical issues pertaining to the Ganga Water Treaty, the measurement of water flows and other issues of mutual interest,” the spokesperson added.

Regarding the protection of minorities in Bangladesh, he reiterated India’s position that it is the responsibility of Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minority communities, as well as their properties and religious institutions.

He noted that the police in Bangladesh had verified only 1,254 of over 2,374 reported incidents of violence against minorities from August 5, 2024, to February 16, 2025. Nearly 98% of these verified incidents were deemed political in nature, raising concerns about the handling of such cases.

“We expect Bangladesh to thoroughly investigate and bring all perpetrators of killings, arson, and violence to justice without making such distinctions,” the spokesperson said.

On development cooperation with Bangladesh, he reaffirmed that this remains a “priority for India” in its relations with Dhaka.

He admitted that the recent security situation and long-standing local issues had affected the progress of some projects. However, the spokesperson assured that official discussions are focused on rationalizing the project portfolio to ensure the timely execution of mutually agreed-upon initiatives