BJP alleges political motive behind move by TMC to hold protest over harassment of Bengalis
KOLKATA, 16 JULY: Leader of Opposition in Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari today said that in the name of Bengali sentiment, the ruling Trunmul Congress is trying to gain electoral profit. He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is taking the help from other than Bengali IAS and IPS officers to run the state administration and constantly depriving the Bengal officials to get their proper administrative positions. West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) will hold a protest rally in Kolkata on Wednesday over alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in several Indian states, a move the party claims is aimed at protecting Bengali identity. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead the rally, with her nephew and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also expected to participate after a long public absence. The TMC alleges that Bengali-speaking individuals have repeatedly faced discrimination in other Indian states, where they were labelled as “Bangladeshi” and subjected to humiliation. The party said it had raised the issue with the Central government and respective state authorities but received no response, prompting the decision to launch a street protest. However, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the TMC of using the “Bengali identity” issue as a political ploy ahead of upcoming elections. “TMC has suddenly rediscovered Bengali pride only because elections are nearing,” Adhikari wrote in a detailed post on X, formerly Twitter. “This is nothing but a veiled attempt to shield illegal immigrants — including Rohingyas and Bangladeshis — under the guise of protecting Bengalis.” Adhikari further alleged that the state government itself has sidelined senior Bengali officials from top administrative positions. “Why were senior Bengali bureaucrats like Atri Bhattacharya and Subrata Gupta ignored for the Chief Secretary post, and Manoj Panth, a junior, appointed instead? Why was IPS officer Sanjay Mukherjee replaced by Rajeev Kumar, an outsider, as DGP?” he asked. He also questioned the government’s silence on the plight of thousands of qualified Bengali youths who lost teaching jobs due to corruption scandals, saying Mamata Banerjee’s concern for Bengali identity seems selective. “When thousands of genuine Bengali candidates are protesting on the streets after being denied teaching jobs due to scams, the Chief Minister turns a blind eye. But she rushes to defend the rights of people who may be illegal immigrants,” Adhikari wrote. The protest comes amid growing political tension in West Bengal, with the TMC and BJP engaged in a fierce battle over issues of identity, governance, and corruption. The BJP has launched a nationwide drive to identify and deport undocumented immigrants, which TMC leaders claim is targeting Bengali-speaking populations in several states. No immediate response was available from the Union Home Ministry on TMC’s allegations or Adhikari’s claims.
Sex worker from Bangladesh found murdered at Matia: Police launch investigation
KOLKATA, 16 JULY: The brutal murder of a Bangladeshi sex worker has triggered panic in the Matia police station area of North 24 Parganas district, officials said today. According to police sources, the victim, believed to be around 25 years old, had been brought into India illegally by traffickers and was sold into a red-light district near Matia, where she had been working for the past few years. She lived alone in a rented room adjacent to the area. The incident occurred on Monday evening when local residents, noticing that the woman had not responded to repeated calls, peered through her window and found her lying motionless on the bed, with visible blood stains on her face. They alerted police, who recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem to the Basirhat District Hospital morgue. “She appears to have been murdered inside her rented room. We are investigating whether a client or someone else was behind the killing,” said a police officer from Matia station. No arrests have been made so far, and the identity of the assailant remains unknown. The victim’s body has not yet been claimed, and police say they have not been able to trace her family in Bangladesh. Authorities suspect the woman was trafficked across the border by a broker, but said the details of her entry and subsequent placement in the red-light area are still under investigation. The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, with many demanding increased safety measures and stricter crackdowns on cross-border trafficking networks.
India Urges Bangladesh to Halt Demolition of Satyajit Ray’s Ancestral Home
DHAKA/KOLKATA, July 16: India has urged Bangladesh’s interim government to reconsider the demolition of the ancestral home of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, after reports emerged that the property in Mymensingh district is being razed by local authorities. The residence, located on Harikishore Ray Chowdhury Road, once belonged to Ray’s grandfather, renowned writer and publisher Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The site had been used by the Bangladesh Shishu Academy but has reportedly been lying in disrepair for over a decade. Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus following the recent ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration, has initiated demolition of the house citing safety concerns. Local child affairs officer Mohammad Mehedi Zaman told The Daily Star that the structure is at risk of collapse and will be replaced by a semi-concrete building. The development has sparked a political and cultural backlash across the border in India. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised strong objections on Tuesday, urging the Bangladesh authorities to preserve the historic site and calling on New Delhi to intervene. Following her appeal, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement highlighting the property’s historical and cultural significance. “The ancestral home of Satyajit Ray is not just an architectural structure but a symbol of shared heritage and literary excellence. We urge the Bangladesh government to preserve and restore the site instead of demolishing it,” the statement said. India has offered technical and financial assistance for the restoration and proposed converting the property into a literary museum, which officials say could further deepen the cultural ties between the two nations. The incident follows recent attacks on homes of other prominent Bengali cultural icons in Bangladesh. Just weeks ago, unidentified vandals damaged the ancestral estate of Rabindranath Tagore in Kushtia, raising concerns over the protection of heritage sites amid political instability. According to the Bangladesh Department of Archaeology, Ray’s ancestral home is over 100 years old and was taken over by the government following the 1947 Partition. Ray, who passed away in 1992, remains one of the most influential figures in global cinema. His works, including the iconic Apu Trilogy, have earned him international acclaim and India’s highest civilian honours. Cultural commentators in both countries are urging Dhaka to preserve the home as a tribute to Ray’s legacy and a testament to the shared cultural fabric of Bengal that transcends borders.
