The Bangladesh government has formally protested Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks made during an election rally in Jharkhand, where he referred to Bangladeshi nationals as “infiltrators.” The interim government in Dhaka submitted an official protest note to India on Monday, expressing displeasure over the statements, as reported by India Today.
In his speech, Shah had stated that the BJP would “hang every Bangladeshi infiltrator upside down to teach them a lesson” if the party comes to power in Jharkhand. He further claimed that “infiltrators” form the vote bank of opposition parties like Lalu Yadav’s RJD, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), and Congress, vowing to eliminate them from the region if the BJP was elected.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted the protest note to India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, describing Shah’s remarks as “highly deplorable.” The note expressed deep dissatisfaction, stating that such comments from a leader in a responsible position undermine the spirit of mutual respect between the two neighboring countries.
“The Ministry conveyed its serious reservation, deep sense of hurt, and extreme displeasure, calling upon the Government of India to caution its political leaders from making such objectionable and unacceptable remarks,” the statement said, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune.
The Bangladesh government also emphasized that such remarks threaten the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries, urging India to promote a tone of mutual respect and understanding in political discourse.
This is not the first instance of tension between the two nations over the issue of migration. The remarks by Shah came amidst growing concerns over cross-border infiltration in India, with several political leaders accusing opposition parties of turning a blind eye to the issue for electoral gains. However, Bangladesh maintains that the inflammatory rhetoric is harmful to diplomatic relations and has urged Indian leaders to refrain from such language.
India is yet to officially respond to the protest lodged by Bangladesh.