Protests in Bangladesh against India persist

Various organizations staged protests on Thursday in response to Indian aggression and the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, India.

Protesters condemned the attack by Indian Hindutva groups on the Bangladesh mission, the desecration of the national flag, the spread of false propaganda, and India's aggressive actions towards Bangladesh. The Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) organized a flag display event in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka to protest against Indian aggression.

NDM Chairperson Bobby Hajjaj stated, "We are not against India, but against Indian aggression, the propaganda spread by Indian media, and the dominating attitude of the Indian government." He also noted that many young people from Indian universities expressed solidarity with Bangladesh's student-led uprising, which had made the Narendra Modi-led government fearful that such movements might eventually pose a threat to them. He suggested that the Indian government was inciting religious agitation through its media to mislead these young people.

Hajjaj expressed hope that Bangladesh could build a relationship with India based on dignity and fairness, moving away from Sheikh Hasina’s submissive policies. NDM Secretary General Mominul Amin emphasized that Bangladesh's people would not tolerate any Indian aggression.

The Ziaur Rahman Social Welfare Council also held a rally in front of the National Press Club to protest India's hegemony. Council President Gias Uddin Khokon accused the Hasina-led Awami League of running a fascist regime with India's support and serving India's interests in return. He further claimed that the Modi government could not accept Hasina's fall and was conspiring to destabilize Bangladesh. Khokon called for the cancellation of all unequal agreements with India signed under the Awami League’s rule.

Protests spread throughout Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh following the December 2 attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala by a group of Indians. This incident occurred during protests demanding the release of Hindu community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is currently jailed on charges of sedition in Bangladesh.

The protests in Bangladesh soon expanded to broader demonstrations against Indian aggression, especially after comments from Indian political leaders. Meanwhile, Urdu-speaking communities in Bangladesh also protested against the repression of Muslims in India, calling on the United Nations to intervene.

The Bangladesh Bihari Rehabilitation Assembly organized a procession from Mirpur-10 to the UNDP office in Dhaka. The assembly's President, Niaz Ahmed Khan, accused the Modi-led Hindutva group of oppressing Muslims and attacking mosques in India. Joint Secretary General Kutub Uddin warned that the Modi government was plotting to undermine communal harmony in Bangladesh, demanding an end to Indian conspiracies.