'140 crore Indians worried about safety of Hindus in Bangladesh': Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 11th consecutive Independence Day speech at Delhi's Red Fort, stated that 1.4 billion Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus in Bangladesh, who have reportedly faced attacks amid the recent political unrest following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to Indian media.

"140 crore Indians worried about the safety of the Hindus, the minorities in Bangladesh," PM Modi said. "India will always be a well-wisher of Bangladesh's progress. We hope the situation normalises in Bangladesh soon. Indians want the security of Hindus, and minorities there to be ensured." 

On August 5, 76-year-old Prime Minister Hasina fled Bangladesh by helicopter to India as protesters flooded the streets of Dhaka, bringing an end to her 15-year rule, which had been marred by allegations of human rights abuses.

The weeks preceding her ousting were marked by violence, with over 500 people losing their lives during the unrest and several reports of alleged attacks on Bangladesh's Hindu minority community.