Kolkata’s flag-burning incident must not recur
The burning of the Bangladesh national flag and the effigy of the chief adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata was a reckless and provocative act. This incident has the potential to inflame tensions between India and Bangladesh, exacerbating already strained relations. Such hostile displays only serve to deepen divisions.
According to Bangladesh's foreign ministry, violent protests erupted with demonstrators breaking through police barricades and reaching the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission's boundaries, creating a sense of insecurity among the staff. This kind of aggression threatens not only bilateral relations but could have far-reaching consequences, spilling over into social unrest and further instability in the region.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. What makes this incident even more concerning is the involvement of certain Indian regional political figures who appear to be exploiting anti-Bangladesh sentiment for domestic political gain. The recent inflammatory rhetoric and actions by some politicians risk undermining India's own foreign policy and could have broader implications. India has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of minorities in Bangladesh, which the interim government has time and again committed to uphold.
One particularly dangerous narrative being peddled is the claim that the arrest of former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari is an attack on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. This rhetoric is baseless and irresponsible. The arrest has been misrepresented by sections of the Indian media, which serves to stoke fears and fuel divisions. The tragic death of a lawyer during protests in Chattogram has further been distorted to fit this narrative. Initially, some outlets erroneously claimed that the lawyer, a Muslim, had been targeted because he was representing Chinmoy Das, but this was later proven false. Despite this, false narratives continue to circulate, amplifying tensions.
India and Bangladesh share a complex history, but they also share significant economic and strategic interests. The actions of a few individuals should not be allowed to undermine the broader relationship. It is time for both governments, and particularly the Indian media, to resist the temptation of inflammatory rhetoric and focus on strengthening the ties that bind the two nations. The stakes are far too high to allow such provocative incidents to escalate into something far worse.
We urge the Indian media, in particular, to exercise rigorous journalistic principles when reporting these incidents and to avoid taking them out of context, which may lead to exaggeration and misreporting.
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