Jamaat-Linked Bangladesh Azad Party Stages Anti-India March In Dhaka

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.

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.

The development is being assessed as part of Jamaat’s resurgence strategy following the political changes in Bangladesh in 2024. Intelligence sources warned that sporadic street demonstrations could gradually be turned into a sustained campaign centred on anti-India issues.

Security Concerns For Indian Mission

The march has also raised security concerns for the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, particularly because the demonstrators attempted to move towards the diplomatic mission.

Similar attempts by protest groups to approach the High Commission in the past have prompted diplomatic responses from New Delhi, including formal protests and the summoning of Bangladeshi representatives.

Bangladeshi authorities have generally intervened to prevent such demonstrations from reaching diplomatic premises and escalating into a larger confrontation.

Risk To India-Bangladesh Relations

Sources cautioned that repeated anti-India demonstrations could add further strain to relations between New Delhi and Dhaka.

The two countries are already required to navigate sensitive issues involving migration, border security, trade, water sharing and the treatment of minorities.

The latest protest reflects the wider anti-India sentiment being promoted by some political and Islamist groups in Bangladesh amid continuing diplomatic tensions over migration and border management.

About the Author

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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