Submit memorandum
Activists of pro-BNP Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and Swechchhashebok Dal beginning their march towards the Indian High Commission from the party’s Nayapaltan office yesterday. They were going there to submit a memorandum in protest of the recent attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala of India’s Tripura.
PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON
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Activists of pro-BNP Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal and Swechchhashebok Dal beginning their march towards the Indian High Commission from the party’s Nayapaltan office yesterday. They were going there to submit a memorandum in protest of the recent attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala of India’s Tripura.
PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON
Three pro-BNP organisations yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, demanding the stop of misinformation about Bangladesh and ensuring the safety of Bangladeshi missions in India.
The memorandum also urged investigations into the recent attack on Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commission in Agartala and sought the protection of minority rights in both countries.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. A six-member delegation from Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal handed over the memorandum to an official of the Indian mission in Baridhara at 1:15pm.
The team consisted of Jubo Dal President Monayem Munna, General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan, Swechchhasebak Dal President SM Jilani, General Secretary Rajib Ahsan, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib, and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.
Addressing reporters in front of the Indian High Commission after submitting the memorandum, Jubo Dal President Munna said, “There is no compromise when it comes to Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty … We want friendly and harmonious neighbours, not ones with an aggressive mindset.”
Earlier in the day, thousands of activists from the three organisations began their protest march at 11:30am from the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. The march, which was jointly organised by Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal, was halted near Rampura Bridge at 12:35pm, where police set up barricades and urged cooperation.
The march was organised in protest of the attack on the Assistant High Commission, desecration of the Bangladesh’s national flag in Kolkata, and an alleged conspiracy to incite communal unrest.
The two-page memorandum, addressed to Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, expressed concerns about recent events that could strain relations between Bangladesh and India.
Referring to the attack on the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh and the desecration of the national flag of Bangladesh, the document stated, “This is a serious breach of diplomatic norms and international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, which mandates the inviolability of diplomatic missions.”
Calling for immediate action against those responsible, the memorandum also criticised the Indian government’s reaction to the recent arrest of an expelled ISKCON leader.
It added that unreasonable and unnecessary tensions have been fuelled by misinformation, which misrepresents facts and is contrary to the spirit of friendship between our nations.
The pro-BNP bodies expressed “dismay” over the role of Indian media, accusing outlets of “sensationalising events and spreading aggressive misinformation” about minority issues in Bangladesh.
“Such disinformation depicts a clear erosion of journalistic integrity,” the memorandum read, adding, “Honest reporting and constructive engagement are vital for fostering trust between the two nations.”
The memorandum affirmed BNP’s commitment to safeguarding minority rights in Bangladesh.
“Any attacks on any minority are driven by personal disputes or land conflicts rather than deep-seated communal animosities.
“In Bangladesh, Muslim volunteers actively protect Hindu communities and their religious establishments from opportunistic violence.”
The three pro-BNP bodies also urged the Indian authorities to ensure the safety and security of minorities, including Muslims, and their religious establishments in India.
Highlighting the importance of a stable and mutually respectful partnership between Bangladesh and India, the memorandum said, “The BNP remains committed to fostering strong and friendly relations based on the UN Charter principle of the sovereign equality of all its members.”
Meanwhile, speaking at a brief rally before the march, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the Indian ruling party is trying to send back Sheikh Hasina, which is nothing but direct aggression.
“What the ruling party of India is doing to bring Sheikh Hasina back is nothing but direct aggression in the language of political science.”
He also accused Indian politicians and media of fabricating false narratives about minority oppression in Bangladesh.