A Bangladeshi minister, Obaidul Quader, has stated that the organising secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (HBCUC), Priya Saha, will face trial on the charge of sedition for her remarks about minority persecution in the country to US President Donald Trump, reports PTI.

The Hindu minority activist had been on a visit to the White House on Friday (19 July), when she told Trump that 37 million members of minority communities in the country had disappeared.

A video clip of the interaction went viral in Bangladesh and has evoked a strong backlash from the government and other quarters.

"Saha's allegation was absolutely false. No one will agree with her. A sedition case will be filed against her. The process is underway. We must take measures against her and are in the process of doing so as a Bangladeshi national, she has made false, purposeful and treasonous remarks," Quader stated.

Even the organisation she leads, the HBCUC, does not seem to be prepared to defend her.

"We are embarrassed. The comments she made were her own and not ours," HBCUC spokesman Kajal Debnath said.