Professor Muhammad Yunus' interim administration in Bangladesh is pushing back against comments made by US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard about the alleged persecution of minority groups population in the country. They say Gabbard's views are “not based on any evidence or specific allegations”.

In a verified Facebook post just after midnight on Monday, the chief adviser’s office said, “They (Gabbard’s comments) paint an entire nation with a broad and unjustified brush.” The post also described Gabbard’s remarks to an Indian television channel as “misleading and damaging to the image and reputation of Bangladesh, a nation whose traditional practice of Islam has been famously inclusive and peaceful and that has made remarkable strides in its fight against extremism and terrorism”.

The US spy chief, who is currently in India, said earlier on Monday that “longtime 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 Trump and his administration."

In an interview with a TV channel, Gabbard claimed there was “persecution and killing” of religious minorities in Bangladesh and warned that “the threat of Islamic terrorists” in the country was “rooted” in the “ideology and objective” of establishing “an Islamist caliphate.”

She mentioned that US President Donald Trump’s administration had recently started discussions with Bangladesh’s interim government on the issue. “The talks are just beginning between President Trump’s new cabinet coming in and the Government of Bangladesh, but this continues to remain a central focus area of concern,” she stated.

However, the chief adviser’s office dismissed the claim, arguing that linking Bangladesh to the idea of an “Islamist caliphate” was baseless. It stated that such allegations undermined the efforts of countless Bangladeshis and their global partners dedicated to peace, stability, and progress. The office further asserted that Bangladesh “strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of ‘Islamist caliphate.’”

“Political leaders and public figures should base their statements, especially about the most sensitive issues, on actual knowledge and take care not to reinforce harmful stereotypes, to fan fears and potentially even stoke sectarian tensions,” Yunus’s office stated.

During her three-day visit to New Delhi, which began on Sunday, Gabbard spoke about the ideology of an “Islamic Caliphate” and how extremist elements and terror groups worldwide strive to achieve such a goal. However, the Chief Adviser’s office responded by stating that, like many other countries, Bangladesh also faces challenges related to extremism. It stressed that the government “has continuously worked in partnership with the international community, including the US, to address these issues through law enforcement, social reforms, and other counterterrorism efforts.”

“In support of our shared global efforts to combat extremism and terrorism, the Interim Government of Bangladesh remains committed to engaging in constructive dialogue based on facts and on respect for the sovereignty and security of all nations,” according to the statement.