DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Bangladeshi capital on Friday to join the celebrations marking 50 years of the country’s independence.
His visit sparked violent protests at Dhaka’s main mosque, which were dispersed by police using tear gas and rubber bullets – injuring dozens of people – after clashes erupted between groups of protesters, officials and witnesses said.
Critics accuse Modi’s Hindu-nationalist party of provoking religious polarization in India and discriminating against minorities, especially Muslims.
Modi’s two-day visit, his first abroad since the coronavirus pandemic began last year, will include the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bangladesh’s independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of current Sheikh Prime Minister Hasina.
Hasina, a key partner for India in maintaining regional stability, welcomed Modi at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Friday morning.
By Friday afternoon, hundreds of protesters had gathered in front of the Baitul Mokarram mosque. Witnesses said violent clashes erupted after a faction of protesters began waving their shoes in disrespect at Modi, and another group tried to stop them.
Local media said protesters who tried to stop the fluttering of shoes were aligned with the ruling Awami League party. The party criticized the other faction for trying to create chaos in the country during Modi’s visit.
Local television showed protesters throwing stones at police, who were heavily present on the streets near the mosque. Somoy TV reported that at least 40 people were injured, including journalists, and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Abdul Mazid, a businessman who joined the prayer, told The Associated Press that he was caught in the mosque after trying to flee when violence broke out during the prayer.
“It simply came to our notice then. I’m still inside the mosque, “he said by phone. “There is huge violence, I see from here.”
A police official said members of several Islamist groups joined the protests, but it was not immediately clear which groups they represented. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with the regulations. He declined to give figures for the number of people injured.
While Modi’s trip focuses mainly on Bangladesh’s anniversary celebrations, the visit also has a political agenda at home, as voting begins on Saturday in several state-level elections, including West Bengal, which borders Bangladesh.
With an eye on galvanizing Hindu support in the key state of the battlefieldModi is to visit a Hindu temple outside Dhaka, which is sacred to the Matua community in West Bengal. The vote on the Matua sect is expected to determine the winner of at least seven seats in a tight race for state assembly control.
Modi, in a tweet late Thursday, before his trip, said that the two countries share a vital relationship.
“Our partnership with Bangladesh is an important pillar of our Neighborhood First policy and we are committed to deepening and further diversifying it. We will continue to support Bangladesh’s remarkable development journey, under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Prime Minister Hasina, “he said.
In recent weeks, protesters have urged the Indian leader not to come to Bangladesh and chanted anti-India and anti-Modi slogans. The student protesters called Modi “the butcher in Gujarat.” Others carried placards that read “Go Back Modi, Go Back India” and “Go Back Killer Modi.”
Modi was chief minister in the western state of Gujarat in 2002, when Hindu-Muslim uprisings left more than 1,000 dead. The allegations that the authorities allowed and even encouraged the bloodshed have long followed Modi, who has repeatedly denied any role. The Supreme Court of India has stated that it has not found any evidence to prosecute him.
Protesters also criticized Hasina for inviting Modi, saying the two countries have many unresolved disputes. Protesters accuse Modi and his Hindu-nationalist party of discriminating against Muslims, such as a controversial 2019 amendment to the law of citizenship.
They also criticized the killing of Bangladeshis by Indian border guards. India says such casualties occur when Bangladeshis are involved in cross-border smuggling and try to cross the border illegally.