Lanka: A protest march was organised in Lanka on Tuesday night by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, condemning the alleged atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. The demonstration was also held in protest against the reported brutal killing of a Hindu youth and the activities of fundamentalist elements in the neighbouring country.
Sources state that hundreds joined the procession that began from Netaji Chowk in front of the Lanka market and passed through the Lanka bus stand and the N-area before reaching its end point, a distance of nearly three kilometres.
During this protest, the demonstrators symbolically placed the Bangladeshi national flag on the main road in Lanka, allowing pedestrians and all vehicles to pass over it, as a form of expressing dissent. The protesters also later burned an effigy carrying the Bangladeshi flag to register their strong condemnation against the alleged incidents.
Throughout the march, protesters raised slogans against the Bangladesh government, where strong resentment has been expressed over the reported attacks and the protection of minority communities was demanded. The protest aimed to attract public attention to the situation across the border and convey solidarity with the affected communities.
In a similar incident, protest actions escalated in Sribhumi, close to the India-Bangladesh border, simultaneously, with hundreds of members of Bajrang Dal as well as VHP holding a massive rally.
Demonstrators in Sribhumi marched from AOC Point via the town’s major roads, gathering on the sides of the Kushiara River close to the international border. Occasions of this protest included raising slogans demanding justice in response to reported murder cases of Dipu Das, while an effigy of Yunus, symbolising leadership in Bangladesh, was burnt.
Officials present during the rally denounced reported cases of violence against minorities, demanding that Bangladeshi authorities take adequate steps towards ensuring the safety and security of at-risk communities until accountability is fixed, and violence is stopped.
The police and administrative officials were deployed in Lanka as well as Sribhumi to deal with the crowd and avoid any unpleasant situations. The authorities confirmed that, though passions ran high, the events passed off without any major trouble. The situation in Assam brings to the fore the sentiment amongst the people of the region towards the ongoing developments in Bangladesh, and activists from different districts are participating in protests to highlight the need for attention to be drawn to the demands of these people.