Burning saree to threats: Bangladesh's BNP protesting Indian 'interference'

Amid diplomatic chill caused by arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's criticism of India has intensified recently

After publicly burning his wife's Indian saree and an Indian bedsheet in protest earlier, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday declared that Bangladesh will not "surrender its independence" to India and accused New Delhi of supporting ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for its own gains, ThePrint has reported. 

 

Rizvi reportedly doubled down on BNP's criticism of India, and alleged that New Delhi was interfering in Bangladesh's internal affairs. Despite recent efforts to ease diplomatic tensions, including Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's visit to Dhaka, Rizvi made these remarks at a rally preceding a long march by BNP affiliates that commenced from the party's Dhaka headquarters on Wednesday. 

 

 

What's happening in Bangladesh?

 

Three BNP-affiliated organisations—Jubo Dal, Swechhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal— reportedly marched through the streets of Dhaka before proceeding towards Akhaura, a border town near India's Agartala. The protesters were demanding accountability for India's alleged role in last week's attack on Bangladesh's consulate and the desecration of the Bangladeshi flag in Agartala, according to local news reports. 

 

Days after publicly burning his wife's Indian saree and an Indian bedsheet as a symbolic protest, Rizvi reportedly declared at the rally that Bangladesh will not "surrender its independence" to India. Accusing India of supporting Hasina for its own gains, he said, "We earned our independence with blood—are we to sell that independence?" He went on to add, "We snatched freedom from Pindi (Rawalpindi, the headquarters of Pakistan's army); will we now surrender it to Delhi? We do not possess such blood."

 

In his speech on Wednesday, Rizvi reportedly denounced India's alleged "political influence" in Bangladesh, specifically its backing of Hasina, whom New Delhi has long regarded as a reliable ally in the region. "India has supported a bloodthirsty Lady Fir'aun (Pharaoh) for 16 years to keep her in power," Rizvi declared, referring to Hasina.

 

Rizvi also alleged that India seeks to prevent Bangladesh and neighbouring nations such as Bhutan, Nepal, and the Maldives from pursuing independent political paths. "India wants them to follow Delhi's words," he reportedly remarked.

 

Rizvi cautioned against escalating tensions, warning India to respect boundaries. "If India demands Chattogram as their part, then Bangladesh will demand Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha as its part," he said. He added, "We won't chew amla (Indian gooseberry) if they come to occupy Chattogram." 

 

Led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina's long-standing rival, the BNP was last in power between 2001 and 2006 in alliance with the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami party. The BNP emerged as the primary opposition force after Hasina fled the country in August and, with national elections approaching, is positioning itself as a strong contender for power.

 

Bangladesh's interim government under Muhammad Yunus has reportedly been navigating a precarious political balance, with the country's smaller Islamist groups and the BNP urging it to take what they view as a firm stand against India's alleged role in Bangladesh’s internal conflicts.

 

The BNP has frequently accused New Delhi of interfering in Bangladesh's political affairs and maintained closer ties with Pakistan than Hasina's Awami League party, which India has maintained strong ties with.

 

The BNP march follows recent protests in Delhi by affiliates of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), who condemned reported atrocities against Bangladeshi Hindus, particularly the arrest of former ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, an incident that caused a diplomatic chill between the two nations. 

 

What is BNP's stance on India?

 

The BNP's criticism of India has intensified recently, with protests erupting across Dhaka and other cities. Last week, thousands of BNP supporters marched towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, decrying alleged attacks on Bangladeshis in Tripura and accusing India of interfering with Bangladesh's sovereignty. Following a standoff with police, a BNP delegation submitted a letter to the Indian High Commission.

 

In September, India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, and his team reportedly held a meeting with BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in Dhaka. This marked the first engagement between Indian diplomats and BNP leaders since Hasina's ousting in August, according to ThePrint.

 

"India wants to bring a positive outlook to the relationship with the BNP. They are also seeking to strengthen the BNP's ties with political parties in India," Mirza reportedly stated at the time, adding, "They conveyed their intent to firm up relations with Bangladesh, particularly in light of the major political changes that have occurred here."