Thousands of members of youth and student bodies affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party staged a road march procession from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, towards the eastern border with India on Wednesday. The protest was in response to an attack on a diplomatic mission earlier in the month and alleged desecration of Bangladeshi flags in India.
The protesters traveled in cars to reach the border point at Akhaura in Brahmanbaria district to voice their grievances. Prior to departing for the border area, they gathered briefly in Dhaka where leaders condemned what they termed as 'Indian aggression' against Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has been vocal in its opposition to the attack by a group of Hindus in the northeastern Indian state of Agartala on December 2.
During the journey to the border area, the procession made stops at various locations where supporters of Zia awaited them, joining in the protest. Another rally is planned upon reaching the border point.
The protest on Wednesday followed bilateral meetings between the foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and India in Dhaka aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. This marked the first high-profile diplomatic visit by an Indian official since the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India.
Accusations from Bangladesh have pointed towards a group of Hindus in India for the attack on the Assistant High Commissioner's office in Agartala and the desecration of Bangladeshi flags in Kolkata, West Bengal.
India expressed regret over the incidents and assured action against those responsible. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a formal protest by summoning the Indian High Commissioner.
Tensions between the two nations have also been exacerbated by the recent arrest of a Hindu leader in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus. India had halted visa issuances to Bangladeshis, except for emergency medical reasons, following Hasina's removal, and many Indian nationals involved in infrastructure projects in Bangladesh departed due to security concerns.
Protests condemning attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh were also held in parts of India with a Hindu majority, further straining relations between the two countries.
Reports of the desecration of the Indian flag in Bangladesh, including instances of burning and stepping on the flag, have added to the existing tensions between the neighboring nations.
