How is anti-India sentiment increasing in Bangladesh? First misinformation about floods, now chaos at visa centre in Dhaka

The resentment against India in Bangladesh has been growing steadily and it erupted once again at a visa centre in Dhaka on Monday (August 26) when locals expressed their anger over delays and alleged harassment in obtaining visas. This is another example of the anti-India hatred in the neighbouring country that has come out in the open after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in early August. Earlier, locals in Bangladesh’s Feni blamed Indian authorities for releasing water from a dam in Tripura without warning, resulting in devastating floods in the region.

Hundreds of Bangladeshis created a ruckus at the Indian Visa Application Centre in Satkhira on August 26. The locals started protesting after several applicants did not get visas despite waiting in queues. Officer-in-charge of the Watara police station Mazharul Islam told New Age that the protest started around 10:30 am and the situation was brought under control by 1 pm. According to police present at the spot, people queued up outside the visa centre to collect their documents – a line that was about a kilometre long. However, when the centre staff told them that the visa process was being delayed, the locals got angry and started raising slogans. The group can be heard saying.

The protest at the visa processing centre comes at a time when anti-India sentiment is running high. Earlier in the week, Bangladeshis expressed anger and resentment at India after it claimed that the flood situation in eastern Bangladesh was caused by the release of water from a dam on the Gumti river in Tripura.

Nahid Islam, one of two student representatives in Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus, told reporters: “India has displayed inhumanity by opening the dam without any warning.