Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday, voicing fury over the brutal killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh which has sent diplomatic relations between the neighbouring nations into a sharp decline.
Violent Death Sparks Outrage
The protest was triggered by the death of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old factory worker. According to reports from Reuters, Das was beaten and set on fire last week in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district after a crowd accused him of blasphemy. Bangladeshi police confirmed that at least 10 people have been arrested in connection with the horrific incident.
In Delhi, the demonstration was spearheaded by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other right-wing Hindu groups. Protesters carried placards with messages such as "India will not tolerate torture of Hindus in Bangladesh" and shouted slogans accusing Bangladeshi authorities of failing to protect religious minorities. The scene grew tense as some attempted to push through police barricades set up roughly 800 metres from the diplomatic mission.
Escalating Diplomatic Row
The protest took a symbolic and inflammatory turn as some participants burnt pictures of Bangladesh's interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, while others called for a general boycott of Bangladesh. One protester, Rajkumar Jindal, told the Associated Press there would be "dire consequences" if violence against Hindus did not cease.
In a swift diplomatic response, Bangladesh's foreign ministry summoned India's High Commissioner to Dhaka, Pranay Verma, to express "grave concern" over the protests and alleged acts of vandalism near its diplomatic premises in India. Bangladesh condemned what it called "premeditated violence or intimidation" and urged India to uphold its international obligations to protect missions.
India's foreign ministry stated that a smaller weekend protest had been dispersed quickly and reaffirmed Delhi's commitment to diplomatic security.
A Fragile Political Backdrop
The killing of Das and the subsequent protests occur against a volatile political landscape in Bangladesh, which has been unstable since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. Hasina, a convicted in absentia by a Bangladeshi tribunal and now living in exile in India, was considered a close ally of New Delhi.
Critics accuse the interim Yunus administration of failing to safeguard minority groups, including Hindus and Christians, as well as members of Hasina's former party. This incident follows other recent unrest, including the death of student activist Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka earlier this month, which sparked violence targeting Indian diplomatic sites.
Analysts warn the flare-up risks damaging crucial cooperation on trade, border management, and regional connectivity. Sreeram Sundar Chaulia, an international affairs expert, told the AP that deteriorating relations could push Bangladesh closer to China. He suggested that opposing India and alleging interference is being used to harden an "Islamist and non-inclusive" path for the country, marking a stark shift from the close ties enjoyed under Hasina's leadership since 2009.
