Jamaat-Linked Bangladesh Azad Party Stages Anti-India March In Dhaka
Jamaat-Linked Bangladesh Azad Party Stages Anti-India March In Dhaka Reported By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 10:59 IST The newly formed platform could turn border
Jamaat-Linked Bangladesh Azad Party Stages Anti-India March In Dhaka Reported By, Last Updated: June 20, 2026, 10:59 IST The newly formed platform could turn border disputes and migration tensions into a sustained campaign against New Delhi. Rapid Read (Screengrab from the video) A torchlight procession organised by a newly formed political group linked to Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist organisations in Dhaka has raised concerns over growing anti-India mobilisation in Bangladesh and its potential impact on bilateral relations, top Indian intelligence sources have told CNN-News18. Members of the Bangladesh Azad Party (BAP) and other Islamist groups held the march on June 19 in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, moving towards the Indian High Commission. The procession was organised to protest against alleged attempts by India to push undocumented migrants and Bangladeshi nationals across the border. Bangladeshi police stopped the demonstrators at the Gulshan-1 circle before they could reach the Indian diplomatic mission. The protesters subsequently staged a sit-in at the location. During the demonstration, participants also burned an effigy of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, signalling their opposition to India’s border policies and his recent statements on the deportation of infiltrators.
Intelligence Sources Flag Jamaat Strategy Top Indian intelligence sources described the formation of the Bangladesh Azad Party as a calculated move by Jamaat-e-Islami to expand its political reach and mobilise public sentiment against India. According to the sources, Jamaat and groups associated with it are seeking to use longstanding border disputes, allegations of “push-ins" and actions by the Border Security Force to generate anti-India nationalist sentiment. The strategy could help the Islamist organisation consolidate support in constituencies along the India-Bangladesh border, where Jamaat-e-Islami performed strongly in recent elections, the sources said. The mobilisation is also being viewed as an attempt to test the response of the current Bangladeshi government and create political pressure ahead of further manoeuvring by Islamist groups. Attempt To Broaden Islamist Appeal The Bangladesh Azad Party has been projected as a new political platform involving figures associated with Jamaat-e-Islami, individuals linked to leaders such as Barrister Shariar Alam and some retired military personnel, according to intelligence inputs. Indian agencies believe the formation of such a platform may be aimed at broadening the appeal of Islamist politics beyond Jamaat-e-Islami’s traditional support base.
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