*Agartala, January 6:*
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday staged a protest at the Raghna check post and border trade point along the India–Bangladesh border in North Tripura district, demanding an immediate and complete halt to border trade with Bangladesh. The protest was organized in response to recent reports of killings of Hindu men in the neighbouring country, which have sparked outrage among Hindu organizations in Tripura and other parts of India.
Raising slogans and holding placards, VHP activists alleged that members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh were being systematically targeted. The protesters asserted that maintaining trade relations with Bangladesh was unacceptable in the face of such incidents and called upon the Indian government to send a strong message by suspending all border trade and export-related activities.
The situation at the protest site turned tense as demonstrators attempted to move closer to the border check post. Protesters reportedly tried to break through police barricades, prompting swift intervention by security forces. A large contingent of police and other security personnel was deployed to prevent any untoward incident and to ensure law and order at the sensitive border location. During the standoff, minor skirmishes were reported as police stopped the protesters from advancing further toward the border trade point.
The protest follows reports that at least six Hindu men, most of them businessmen, were brutally killed in Bangladesh over the past three weeks. These incidents have led to widespread anger and concern among Hindu organizations, who have demanded greater diplomatic pressure and concrete action to ensure the safety of minorities in the neighbouring country.
Tripura shares the longest international border with Bangladesh among the northeastern states, spanning approximately 856 kilometres. The state also has the highest number of border trading points with Bangladesh. Of the six trading points in Tripura, two function as Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) where regular cross-border trade takes place.
Besides Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam also share borders with Bangladesh, with the total border length across the northeastern region extending to nearly 1,880 kilometres and more than a dozen border trade points operating along these frontiers.
