Bangladesh: protests against Narendra Modi's visit continue
Demonstrators against the arrival of Narendra Modi, March 27, 2021. AFP - MUNIR UZ ZAMAN
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
The visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Bangladesh angered part of the population of this predominantly Muslim country, who considered him Islamophobic.
Violent clashes with the police left several dead and injured.
Publicity
Read more
With our regional correspondent,
Côme Bastin
This is his first diplomatic visit since the start of the pandemic and it is not just any one.
Narendra Modi
was invited two days by his counterpart Sheikh Hasina to
Bangladesh
for the 50 years of the country's independence.
But this Friday, March 26,
demonstrations broke out against his coming because of his policy considered anti-Muslim
in India.
Five students of the Islamist movement Hefazat were killed in clashes with police in the towns of Chittagong and Brahmanbaria.
Dozens of wounded were counted across the country, especially in the capital Dhaka where the national parade was taking place.
Paramilitary forces have been deployed to bring the situation under control.
Radical group
These clashes did not interrupt the state visit.
Narendra Modi insisted on the ties between the two countries, saying that India and Bangladesh seek "
development, stability, love and peace
".
On Saturday, he visited a temple of the Matua sect, a Hindu movement that has worshipers in Bangladesh, as well as in the Indian state of West Bengal, where regional elections are being held.
But despite the measures taken by the authorities, hundreds of Islamists gathered in Dhaka, in front of the country's largest mosque, Baitul Mukarram Masjid, to protest the crackdown the day before and the visit of the Indian Prime Minister.
The protesters, who chanted slogans hostile to Narendra Modi, were supporters of the Hefazat-e-Islam group, the largest radical group in the country, which had already called for the protests on Friday.
►
See also: Bangladesh: several gunshot deaths during an anti-Modi demonstration
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
India
Bangladesh
Narendra Damodardas Modi
On the same subject
India: the election of Parliament in West Bengal, a battle for Narendra Modi
India: freedom of expression in question after the resignation of two eminent academics
Bangladesh: several gunshot dead during anti-Modi demonstration