Students at Dhaka University held a late-night ‘Azadi’ rally on December 17, protesting what they described as interference by India’s High Commissioner in Bangladesh’s domestic politics. Organized under the banner of ‘Anti-Hegemony Students,’ the march began at Madhur Canteen and concluded with a brief gathering at the Raju Memorial sculpture, where participants chanted slogans rejecting foreign influence.

During the rally, Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) cultural secretary Mosaddeq Ali Ibn Mohammad cited an investigative report alleging that Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma had engaged with Bangladeshi authorities during the July uprising to shape state repression strategies. He called Verma’s actions a violation of diplomatic norms and urged the government to declare him persona non grata.

The protestors demanded stronger protection of national sovereignty and urged the Foreign Ministry to take diplomatic steps regarding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s return from India. The demonstration highlights growing student sensitivity toward perceived external involvement in Bangladesh’s political processes.