Bangladesh students burn Modi effigy over Victory Day remarks
Protest at Dhaka University accuses Indian prime minister of sidelining Bangladesh role in 1971 war, stoking sovereignty concerns
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — A group of students at Dhaka University staged a protest on Tuesday evening by burning an effigy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of undermining Bangladesh’s historical role in the 1971 war that led to the country’s independence from Pakistan.
The demonstration took place outside Madhur Canteen, a historic hub of student activism, under the banner of the “Anti-Imperialism Students’ Front.” Protesters also trampled photographs of Modi and hurled shoes at his image, signaling anger over what they described as Indian political interference in Bangladesh’s national memory.
The protest followed a social media post by Modi marking what India observes as Vijay Diwas, commemorating India’s military victory over Pakistan in 1971. In his message on X, Modi paid tribute to Indian soldiers and described the conflict as India’s historic victory, without explicitly mentioning Bangladesh or its liberation struggle.
In Bangladesh, December 16 is observed as Victory Day, marking the end of a nine-month war of independence that resulted in the creation of the country after decades of political tensions between East and West Pakistan.
Student organizers said Modi’s framing erased Bangladesh’s agency in its own liberation and reduced the war to an Indian military narrative.
Riyadul Islam Zubah, one of the protest organizers, accused Indian political leadership of diminishing Bangladesh’s sovereignty and misrepresenting the history of 1971, despite the sacrifices made by Bangladeshi civilians and freedom fighters.
Zubah also alleged that Indian actions since independence had harmed Bangladesh’s stability, referring to past political crises and border-related incidents. He further accused Modi’s government of presiding over widespread abuses against minorities in India, claims frequently raised by international human rights groups and civil rights advocates.
The protest concluded with demonstrators setting fire to the effigy and symbolically rejecting what they called attempts to appropriate Bangladesh’s liberation history, underscoring enduring tensions over memory, sovereignty, and regional power dynamics.
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