Indian Americans are planning to connect with the incoming Trump administration and Congress next year to push for action against the Bangladeshi government, including economic sanctions, according to a prominent community leader.

President-elect Donald Trump's recent remarks about Bangladesh encouraged Indian American physician Dr Bharat Barai, who expressed confidence that Trump would take action against the South Asian country for its persecution of the Hindu minority once he takes office as the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with PTI, Barai said, "He (Trump) has made a bold statement about the persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus and the desecration of Hindu temples." He further said, "He’s a bold person who might consider economic sanctions if the situation doesn't improve,”

More than two dozen US lawmakers and Indian Americans from all over the nation attended the annual Diwali celebrations at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., where Barai said community members are actively trying to get Congress and the new administration to take action against the Bangladeshi regime, including possible economic sanctions. "If their garment exports, which account for 80 per cent of their business, are cut off, what will the people of Bangladesh eat?” he asked, alleging that Bangladesh’s caretaker government, led by Muhammad Yunus, is merely a puppet controlled by the military. “It is really the army that is in control of the country,” added he.  

Barai expressed the hope that such pressure will result in Bangladesh realising it needs to cease persecuting Hindus as well as other minorities. “We, as Hindu Americans, will also plead with the Congress to act if Bangladesh does not straighten out,” he said. Additionally, he called on the Indian government to address the matter with Bangladesh and contemplate enacting sanctions in case the persecution persists. “If they keep harassing Hindus and minorities, India should also impose sanctions on them,” he said.

Trump denounced the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh, a country riven by violence, in a statement just days before the general elections on November 5.  "I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos,” Trump remarked. "It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own Southern Border, but we will Make America Strong Again and bring back Peace through Strength,” and said, "We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left. We will fight for your freedom. Under my administration,” he added.

According to Barai, there is a lot of discussion concerning outside intervention in the toppling of Bangladesh's democratically elected government. "Even among the Muslims now, there is a split. Some think that the Democrats engineered this coup in their countries, both Pakistan as well as Bangladesh,” he said. He cited individuals like George Soros and Peter Omidyar, implying that they were part of a larger scheme to discredit Narendra Modi's administration and advance Rahul Gandhi. 

"If you remember that when President Trump visited India about three and a half years ago, riots were engineered, especially in Delhi, to coincide with his visit,” he said. The impact of the "ultra-leftist woke lobby" was another issue he voiced dissatisfaction over, saying he hoped they would either come to their senses or be sidelined or "put in their proper place".