DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bangladesh’s capital on Friday to attend the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.
His visit sparked violent protests at Dhaka’s main mosque spread by police with tear gas and rubber bullets – injuring dozens of people – after clashes broke out between groups of protesters, officials and witnesses said.
Critics accuse Modi’s Hindu nationalist party of fueling 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, includes commemorating 100 years since the birth of Bengali independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina, a key partner for India in maintaining regional stability, welcomed Modi at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka Friday morning.
On Friday afternoon, hundreds of protesters had gathered outside the Baitul Mokarram Mosque. Witnesses said violent skirmishes broke out after a group of protesters began waving their shoes as a sign of disrespect for Modi, and another group tried to stop them.
Local media said the protesters who tried to stop the shoe-waving are joining the ruling Awami League party. The party criticized the other protest faction for creating chaos in the country during Modi’s visit.
Local TV showed protesters throwing stones at the police, who were heavily present on the street near the mosque. Somoy TV reported that at least 40 people, including journalists, were injured and transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Abdul Mazid, a businessman who joined the prayer, told The Associated Press that he was trapped in the mosque after trying to flee when violence broke out during the prayer.
“I had the feeling that something was going to happen. I am still in the mosque, ”he said over the phone. “There is a lot of violence, I can see from here.”
A police official said members of various Islamist groups had 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 provide figures for the number of injuries.
While Modi’s trip is mainly focused on Bangladesh’s anniversary celebrations, the visit also has a political agenda at home as the vote kicks off Saturday at several state-level elections, including West Bengal, which borders Bangladesh.
With a view to sinking Hindu support into the main battlefield state, Modi will visit a Hindu temple outside Dhaka that is sacred to the Matua community in West Bengal. The Matua sect’s vote is expected to determine the winner of at least seven seats in a thrilling race for control of the state assembly.
Modi, in a tweet late Thursday prior to his trip, said 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 diversifying it further. We will continue to support Bangladesh’s remarkable development trajectory, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, ”he said.
In recent weeks, protesters have urged the Indian leader not to come to Bangladesh and recite anti-India and anti-Modi slogans. Student protesters called Modi ‘the butcher of Gujarat’. Others carried signs saying ‘Go back Modi, go back India’ and ‘Go back Killer Modi’.
Modi was the prime minister in the western state of Gujarat in 2002, when Hindu-Muslim riots killed more than 1,000 people. Allegations that the authorities permitted and even encouraged the bloodshed have long been followed by Modi, who has repeatedly denied playing a role. India’s Supreme Court has said it has found no evidence to prosecute him.
The 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 controversial 2019 amendment to the citizenship law.
They have also criticized the murder of Bengali by Indian border guards. India says such casualties occur when Bangladeshis are involved in cross-border smuggling and try to cross the border illegally.