NEW DELHI, Dec 23: Protests erupted throughout the country on Tuesday over the killing of a Hindu labourer in Bangladesh, triggering demonstrations in New Delhi, Kolkata, Agartala and other cities, with police baton charging unruly activists in the eastern metropolis.
The incident in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh, where a factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched and burnt on Thursday, came on top of attacks on Indian missions in that country.
The upshot of the violence in Bangladesh has been the deepening of diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka. In Kolkata, demonstrations over the killing turned violent near the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the Beckbagan-Park Circus area in the southern part of the city. Protesters affiliated with the VHP, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM) attempted to march to the mission to submit a memorandum but were stopped by the police.
The police declared the gathering “unlawful” and later resorted to lathi-charge as clashes broke out. Several protesters were injured, many detained, and traffic was disrupted in parts of central and south Kolkata.
In the national capital, activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission, condemning the killing of the 25-year-old Hindu garment worker.
Protesters alleged that Das was beaten to death on accusations of blasphemy, after which his body was reportedly tied to a tree and set on fire. Chanting slogans and reciting the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, demonstrators demanded strong action from Bangladeshi authorities and international intervention to protect Hindu minorities.
Tensions escalated as protesters attempted to breach police barricades, prompting police intervention and baton-charge. Security around the Bangladesh High Commission was tightened with a three-tier arrangement.
VHP president Alok Kumar said the killing was a direct attack on secularism, democracy and freedom of expression, alleging that Das was targeted merely for stating that all religions are equal. He also criticised Bangladesh’s interim leadership over radical elements and warned against threats to India’s sovereignty.
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi had on Monday announced suspension of all visa issuance and consular services, citing security concerns.
Similar suspensions were announced at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, where additional police and paramilitary forces were deployed amid protests by local groups and right-leaning organisations.
HJM activists, led by Sanjay Singh, also staged protests in north Bengal, forcing the temporary closure of the Bangladesh Visa Application Centre in Siliguri after effigies of Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus were burned. The groups demanded an end to alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and called for a boycott of Bangladeshi goods.
The protests come amid a broader diplomatic strain. India had briefly suspended visa services in Dhaka last week following protests targeting the Indian High Commission over the death of Bangladeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi.
While most Indian Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh remain operational for humanitarian reasons, particularly medical travel, the centre in Chittagong remains shut following a mob attack on the Indian mission premises.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights has called for an independent international investigation into Das’s lynching and accountability for all perpetrators and enablers.
The organisation cited a sharp rise in violence against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh since 2024, alleging thousands of incidents ranging from killings and assaults to arson and temple desecration. It also criticised what it termed “selective outrage” by global human rights bodies.
As protests continue across India, authorities remain on high alert, with diplomatic missions tightening security and visa operations suspended indefinitely pending improvement in the situation. (UNI)
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