Police Stop NCP March on 15th Felani Killing Anniversary

The Dhaka North unit of the National Citizen Party (NCP) organized a march towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on 7 January, marking the 15th anniversary of Felani Khatun’s killing at the Bangladesh-India border.

Police set up barricades and stopped the march near the high commission area in Banshtala around 4:20 pm.

During the procession, NCP leaders and activists chanted slogans including “Delhi or Dhaka, Dhaka, Dhaka,” “No to slavery, yes to freedom,” “Stop Indian aggression,” “Felani, we have not forgotten you,” and “Indian hegemony will not be accepted.”

Felani, 15, was shot by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on 7 January 2011 at the Anantapur border in Kurigram’s Phulbari upazila. Her body, left hanging on the barbed-wire fence, sparked outrage in Bangladesh and internationally.

Speakers at the march highlighted that killings of Bangladeshis by the BSF continue and said such incidents along the Bangladesh-India border remain frequent.

NCP leaders also alleged that during the Awami League’s tenure, India interfered in Bangladesh’s politics and economy, leading to human rights violations, including killings and enforced disappearances. They called for international action and demanded justice for all officials involved.

The party further described the upcoming national election as crucial for protecting Bangladesh’s sovereignty, vowing not to accept interference from any foreign powers, including Washington, Moscow, Beijing, or Delhi.