Muslims in Bangladesh protest against visit by PM Modi

Wednesday 24th March 2021 06:43 EDT
 
 

Dhaka: Muslims and ‘student activists’ in Bangladesh took out a protest march ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka. PM Modi is scheduled to join his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on March 26 during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

Following the Jummah (Friday prayers), a group of about 500 Muslims marched on the streets outside Baitul Mokarram Mosque in Dhaka. In a video that has now surfaced on social media, hordes of Muslims were seen sloganeering against India and Prime Minister Modi. They were also seen holding their chappals (floaters) in the air to express their demand for the cancellation of his trip to the country.

A second protest march was taken out by the ‘student activists’ of the Left at the campus of Dhaka University. The protestors carried a banner that read, ‘Go Back Modi’, ‘Go Back India’, and ‘Go Back Killer Modi.’ The demonstrators alleged that PM Modi and his ‘Hindu nationalist party’ have been ‘oppressing’ Muslims in India. They further claimed that several Bangladeshis have been killed by Indian border security guards, while in reality, such deaths occur when they try to smuggle, infiltrate into the Indian territory.

We will become Taliban, says protestor

“India’s subordinate government of Hasina has invited Modi, we are here to protest against that,” commented one Hossain Mohammed Anwar. In another video shared by Bangladeshi Hindu activist Raju Das, an Islamist was heard saying, “If Narendra Modi is allowed to come to Bangladesh, we will have to turn into terrorists. Bengal will become Afghanistan, and we will become the Taliban.”

In February last year, thousands of Muslims took out a march from the main mosque in Bangladesh capital Dhaka to protest against the Indian government for the riots in Delhi which left at least 52 dead and hundreds injured. Thousands of Muslims left the Baitul Mokarram Mosque, joined the rally and shouted slogans against Narendra Modi.

The protesters went on to demand that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina drop her plan to invite Modi on the 100th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The protesters claimed that the invitation was an insult to the 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh and disrespect to the non-communal freedom icon of the nation. The march was organized by six Muslim political groups at the initiative of Jamiat Ulema-e Islam general secretary Nur Hossain Qasmi.


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