Kolkata hospital refuses to treat Bangladeshi patients over protests against India
Bangladesh and India ties suffering some tension again following the protests and fatal violence that took place after a Hindu community leader’s arrest and jailing last week
A hospital in Kolkata, the capital of India's West Bengal state, has announced that it will no longer treat Bangladeshi patients, over alleged violence against Hindus and hatred towards India expressed by people in Bangladesh.
The decision has been taken following incidents of disrespect towards the national flag of India by protesters in Bangladesh, said Subhranshu Bhakt, an official of JN Ray Hospital, located in the city's Manicktala area, yesterday (29 November), reports The Times of India.
"We have issued a notification that from today till an indefinite time we will not admit any Bangladeshi patient for treatment. This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India," Bhakt told news agency PTI on Friday.
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He also urged other healthcare providers in Kolkata to take the same measure as a demonstration against the reported mistreatment of minorities in Bangladesh, reports TOI.
"Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis. India has played an important role in their independence but despite that, we are witnessing anti-India sentiments. We hope other hospitals will support us and take similar steps," he added.
The relationship between Bangladesh and India is suffering some tension following the protests and violence that took place after the arrest and jailing of a Hindu community leader last week.
On 25 November, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, former spokesperson of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) Bangladesh and a prominent figure in the Hindu community, was arrested in a sedition case filed by a BNP leader in Chattogram on 25 October.
Chinmoy aka Chandan Kumar Dhar, currently the spokesperson of Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, and 18 others were accused in the case for allegedly disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag by hoisting a saffron flag above it during a rally organised by the Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha in the port city.
On 26 November, a Chattogram court denied Chinmoy's bail plea and sent him to jail. After the hearing, when Chinmoy boarded a prison van of the police, a mob -- mostly his supporters -- blocked the roads, triggering a clash in the court premises that lasted around 2.5 hours.
In protest against the attack and vandalism, Saiful and a group of lawyers took part in a procession. At that time, armed individuals chased them. As Saiful stumbled and fell, he was beaten up and hacked mercilessly by a group of attackers.
The lawyer was rescued from an alley next to Kotwali's Rangam Convention Hall at around 3:30pm and taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctors declared him dead.
Since then, demonstrations have been taking place in Chattogram and elsewhere around Bangladesh, demanding exemplary punishment of the killers and protesting misinformation being spread by some Indian media outlets over the violence.
Bangladesh on 26 November also expressed disappointment over a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India regarding Chinmoy's arrest.
