Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed her grave concern over the alleged oppression of minorities in Bangladesh and sought the Centre's intervention to bring back persecuted Indians from the neighbouring nation.

The Bengal chief minister brought up the Bangladesh situation in the Assembly for the second time in five days.

"I am firmly against the oppression of any minority, anywhere. I stand against the disrespect of any religion, anywhere....I believe that in a democracy, it is the duty of the majority to protect the interests of the minority, and the duty of the minority is to respect the majority," said Mamata.

She brought up Bangladeshi affairs twice on the floor of the House, during the Question Hour in the first half and during her address in a debate on a resolution opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill of the Centre.

"There must be freedom to practise any religion, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism...," she added. "I unequivocally state that Bangladesh's Hindus must be protected."

The chief minister reiterated that she was the head of a state government in the Indian democratic structure, but she was compelled to bring up the international issue again because of the recent developments in Bangladesh.

"While this is not my jurisdiction to officially comment on the matter, the Prime Minister should.... The Union ministry of external affairs should take it up with Bangladesh authorities. The government of India can take up the matter with the United Nations," she said.

"So that they (the UN) can send the peacekeeping force to Bangladesh... and they can rescue our people, help restore normality. This is my submission," added Mamata.

The Trinamul Congress chief demanded a statement from external affairs minister S. Jaishankar in Parliament, for clarity on India's stand.

"It should happen during the ongoing winter session if the Prime Minister is unavailable for it," she said.

Mamata said she had been observing for the past 10 days that the Centre was keeping "totally mum". "While their party — they are well within their rights to conduct meetings and rallies daily, it is their democratic right — is saying they will shut (Bengal-Bangladesh) borders, (bilateral) trade, railroads... it is not our jurisdiction... we act according to the Centre's advice and instructions on such matters," said Mamata.

Seniors on the Treasury benches said Mamata made it clear that it wasn't for a state government to ensure the kind of intervention the BJP sought to seek, as the matter pertained to a different nation.

"The BJP has been playing a very dirty game since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh, and she (Mamata) called them out on it," said a senior member of the Trinamool legislature party.

Mamata also said there was a pressing need to rescue persecuted Indians and rehabilitate them here.

"If necessary, we can rehabilitate Indians attacked in Bangladesh. We do not mind sharing our bread with them if it is required," she said.

The chief minister said a lot of things she knew of couldn't be shared publicly.

"A lot of people, we had tried to bring from there to here (during the ongoing turmoil). But we couldn't. We repeatedly informed the Centre, that a lot of Hindus — Muslims too — were trying to get here from the other side. We gave them food and water as they were stranded at the borders. None of you know this," she said, addressing the BJP legislators in the House.

"There were Hindus, a lot of Muslims too. MPs of certain political parties. We don't practise Hindu-Muslim politics (of division). We give protection to everybody," she added.

"It is our grave misfortune... their (National) Press Club's secretary (Shyamal Dutta), we had almost brought him to the border, but we found out he was under attack... and the BSF is not under us."

Dutta, the Bhorer Kagoj editor, was arrested and imprisoned in September. Last, prominent journalist Munni Saha was detained after being surrounded by a radical mob in Dhaka. Dutta and Saha are among hundreds of senior journalists in Bangladesh who have been persecuted since the fall of the Hasina government.

The BJP claimed Mamata was trying to politicise the crisis.

“She should rise above politics to stand by Bengali-speaking Hindus," said leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

"However, I welcome what has been said regarding the UN... she is saying these things because Hindus are uniting," he added, claiming that she was echoing his demand.