Long-time persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh major concern for US: Tulsi Gabbard
Trump’s cabinet begins talks with Bangladesh’s interim government, Gabbard tells NDTV World
Persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh has been a major area of concern for the United States, US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard said today.
In an interview with India's NDTV World, Gabbard, the director of US National Intelligence, said, "The long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities like Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and others has been a major area of concern for the US government and President Donald Trump and his administration."
She added that the new cabinet under Trump has begun talks with the interim government of Bangladesh.
"The talks are just beginning between President Trump's new cabinet and the government of Bangladesh, but this continues to remain a central focus area of concern [for the US]," she said.
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She also said the Trump administration is focused and committed to defeating "Islamist terrorism" globally.
Gabbard, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday on a three-day visit, spoke about the ideology of an "Islamic Caliphate" and how extremist elements and terror groups globally aim for such an outcome.
Bangladeshis impacted by terrorism; Trump committed to defeating threat: Tulsi Gabbard tells ANI
She said, "The threat of Islamist terrorists and the global effort of different terror groups are rooted in the same ideology and objective – which is to rule or govern with an Islamist Caliphate.
"This obviously affects people of any other religion, other than the one that they find acceptable, and they chose to carry this out with terror and very violent ways and means," she said.
Gabbard went on to say that Trump is determined to identify and defeat such an ideology and end the rise of what he calls "radical Islamic terrorism".
"President Trump remains committed to identifying the ideology that drives Islamist terrorism, and working to defeat this ideology and their ability to exact that terror on people," she said.
Gabbard is in India to participate in a meeting of top security officials from around the world and the Raisina Dialogue, becoming the first senior official of the Trump administration to travel to the country.
She is set to meet Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, and Bangladesh is likely to be in the agenda of the discussion, according to media reports.
Gabbard, who is on a multi-nation trip to the Indo-Pacific that will also take her to Japan, Thailand and France, is expected to meet the top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
