Thousands of people reportedly marched in Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka on Friday to condemn insulting remarks made by Nupur Sharma, now-suspended BJP spokesman, against the Prophet Muhammad.
The protesters called on Muslim countries to raise the level of protest against the remarks that have offended Muslims around the world by severing diplomatic ties with India. Previously, calls for a boycott of Indian products had also spread in several Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The call for a boycott of India was echoed to urge the Indian government to take firm action against the two ruling party officials for the insulting comments.
At the demonstration that broke out in the streets of the Bangladeshi capital, there was also criticism from the masses who thought that the Bangladeshi government for not publicly criticized the insult by the BJP leader.
After Friday prayers, crowds were seen starting the protest by marching along a street near the central Baitul Mukkaram Mosque in downtown Dhaka. Many of them chanted slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the protest.
It is known that although Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has tried to distance itself from the statements made by their spokesman Nupur Sharma by suspending her and also condemning comments insulting religious figures, it seems that this action is still considered insufficient by Bangladeshi protesters that calls for firm actions to be taken against Sharma for her remarks.
Protesters in Bangladesh have also urged Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to issue an official statement condemning Modi’s government in Parliament, which is holding its budgetary session.
Despite the widespread anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh, PM Hasina is known to have forged warm relations with India for more than a decade. India is not only a neighbor to Bangladesh but is also a significant trading partner of the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million people.
