Dhaka, October 31: Anti-India slogans resurfaced in Bangladesh during a protest rally organised by the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Dhaka on Friday. The rally was held against rising prices, power shortages and the scarcity of fuel and gas. However, the demonstration also witnessed slogans targeting India, with NCP convenor Nahid Islam raising several allegations against New Delhi.
The protest was held in front of the National Museum in Dhaka and was attended by NCP leaders and supporters. Addressing the gathering, Nahid Islam demanded the resignation of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku. He warned that protests would be intensified across the country if the demands were not met.
Islam also criticised the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, accusing it of failing to protect Bangladesh from what he described as Indian interference. During the rally, slogans such as “Delhi or Dhaka? Dhaka, Dhaka” were reportedly raised.
The NCP convenor alleged killings along the India-Bangladesh border, mistreatment of Muslims in Assam and West Bengal, and plans to demolish mosques in Delhi. However, these allegations were not accompanied by supporting evidence, according to the Loksatta report.
The issue of the 1996 Ganga Water Sharing Treaty also featured prominently in the protest. Islam demanded that the agreement be renegotiated on what he described as fair terms, warning that people in Bangladesh could return to the streets if their concerns were not addressed.
The 30-year treaty is due to expire in December 2026. According to the report, Bangladesh’s Water Resources Ministry is seeking to conclude a new agreement before December 12.
The rally has also brought renewed attention to earlier anti-India statements by NCP leaders. Hasnat Abdullah had previously threatened to isolate India’s seven northeastern states, according to the report.
Anti-India rhetoric has been a recurring feature of political discourse in Bangladesh since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. Such statements reportedly became less frequent after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, came to power in February 2026.
During Friday’s rally, Islam also accused Tarique Rahman of displaying authoritarian tendencies. He argued that removing one authoritarian government should not lead to the emergence of another.
The protest comes amid growing economic pressure in Bangladesh, with rising prices, energy shortages and disruptions in fuel and gas supplies affecting households and industries.
While the rally was primarily organised over domestic economic grievances, the anti-India slogans and allegations raised by NCP leaders have once again drawn attention to the political atmosphere in Bangladesh and the state of relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.
