India state warns of Bangladesh refugees

The chairman of the ruling party in India's West Bengal state has said that thousands of people have fled from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Biman Bose of West Bengal's Left Front party said New Delhi should hold talks with the recently-elected Bangladesh National Party in Dhaka to arrange the safe return of the refugees.

Most of the refugees are Hindus, and representatives of minority religious groups in Bangladesh have accused Islamic supporters of the Bangladesh National Party of seeking to oust religious minorities from the country.

The BNP says it is investigating allegations that large numbers of Hindus are fleeing.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service