Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz is quoted in a report in Al Jazeera about the recent demonstrations in Bangladesh against Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi’s scheduled visit.
Modi was invited to Bangladesh to attend the Mujib Centennial inaugural event on March 17. The event is canceled after cases of coronavirus were detected in Bangladesh. However, there were large demonstrations demanding the Bangladesh government withdraw the invitation.
Riaz told Al Jazeera the concerns in Bangladesh about Modi’s visit were twofold. He said Bangladeshis are concerned because of the “everyday belligerent rhetoric” of the BJP, whose former chief and now India’s Home Minister Amit Shah once called Bangladeshi migrants to India “termites”.
The second aspect, according to Riaz, was that protests in Bangladesh against Modi were an expression of deep resentment about India’s policy towards Dhaka.
“The role of India in supporting the ruling Awami League has ignited anger among a lot of Bangladeshis, who attribute the absence of democracy in Bangladesh to India’s unqualified support to the ruling party and its political dependence on the Indian support,” he said.
