Matarbari Port Will Serve as India's Corridor, Jagpa Leader Rashed Pradhan Alleges Over Japan Deal

Rashed Pradhan, vice-president and spokesperson of the Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (Jagpa), has alleged that the Matarbari deep seaport, being developed with Japanese cooperation, will essentially be used as a corridor through Bangladesh for India's Seven Sisters states. In his words, the BNP has 'signed a deal with the Modi government to sell the country'.

He made the remarks on Friday (October 30) afternoon as chief guest at a brief rally in front of the Press Club, following a protest procession at Paltan organised by Jagpa under the banner of protesting 'Muslim killings and attacks on mosques in India'.

Rashed Pradhan said: 'India's foreign ministry has officially welcomed the cooperation agreement signed between Bangladesh and Japan. Bangladesh and Japan make the deal, and India welcomes it. The people of the country have no difficulty understanding that the Matarbari seaport, built with Japan's cooperation, will mainly be used as a corridor through Bangladesh for India's Seven Sisters. In effect, the BNP has signed a country-selling deal with the Modi government.'

He further alleged: 'To satisfy India's demands, the BNP has dropped China from the Teesta mega project. India has received all the work of the metro rail project. Bangladesh's foreign ministry issues dramatic anti-India statements, but in reality it keeps reaching understandings.'

Alleging that Muslim homes have been demolished and residents evicted in Assam and Delhi, Rashed Pradhan said: 'The holy mosque, the house of Allah, has been torn down. Across India, the call to prayer over loudspeakers and offering prayers are being obstructed. Muslim women's hijab is being labelled as militancy, and the Friday weekly holiday of madrasas is being cancelled.'

He added: 'Muslims are being singled out on the pretext of cattle smuggling, shot below the knee and crippled, and pushed into Bangladesh. The India that lectures us on harmony has itself taken the form of extremist Hindutva at home and is engaged in killing Muslims.'

The rally was conducted by Jagpa Chhatra Kafela president Abdur Rahman Faruqi. Among those who spoke were Jagpa general secretary Professor Iqbal Hossain, presidium member Asadur Rahman Khan, joint general secretary Mahidur Rahman Babla, religious affairs secretary Nadim Mahmud, labour affairs secretary Asaduzzaman Babul and Jubo Jagpa president Nazrul Islam Bablu.

Dhaka city organising secretary Nazmul Hasan, Panchagarh district organising secretary Md. Kamal Hossain, Narayanganj district president Arian Sharif and general secretary Mahbub Hossain, along with other party leaders, also addressed the gathering.