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Sunday | October 11, 2026 | Dhaka

Nahid stands with India’s youth, urges release of detained protesters

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:56 AM, 11 October 2026  Updated: 11:24 PM, 10 October 2026

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam on Saturday expressed solidarity with Indian young protesters and invoked Indian authorities to release those detained for exercising their democratic rights.

“From Dhaka, we stand with you as friends bound by a common demand for accountable power, democratic institutions, and human dignity,” the NCP leader said in a statement titled “Statement of Solidarity with the Youth of India”, posted on his Facebook account.

Nahid called on the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of protest organisers and the legal grounds for their detention, respect the right to peaceful assembly, and allow journalists to report without intimidation or seizure of equipment.

The statement expressed concern over the detention of protesters and journalists in New Delhi, as well as internet suspension and restrictions around Jantar Mantar.

Today, Indian police detained hundreds of demonstrators amid a crackdown on a planned protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter list revisions. Delhi Police said the rally had not been authorised.

Drawing parallels with Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising, Nahid recalled how protests over public service job quotas grew into a nationwide movement against the then Awami League government.

“Hindutva majoritarianism, fascism, and every form of religious supremacy must not define the future of South Asia,” the statement said, calling for greater communal harmony, social justice and protection of minority rights.

Nahid said the struggles of people in the two countries were also linked to unresolved issues involving border killings, water sharing, environmental protection and national sovereignty.

He called for a South Asia where countries treat one another as equals and governments remain accountable.