National Citizen Party (NCP) convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam said Bangladesh’s border with India is among the world’s most violent, claiming over a thousand Bangladeshi citizens have been killed by Indian forces. Speaking at a youth event in Dhaka on Saturday, he warned that his party could announce a ‘border long march’ if necessary, drawing a parallel to Maulana Bhasani’s historic Farakka march. He pledged to secure Bangladesh’s borders, water rights, and sovereignty.

Marking Farakka Day, Nahid accused India of diverting water by constructing dams on shared rivers and depriving Bangladesh of its fair share. He noted that the Ganges water-sharing treaty expires this year and urged that any new agreement ensure equitable distribution. He also criticized the current government for alleged subservience to foreign powers, failure to manage the measles outbreak that has killed over 400 children, and for not fulfilling promises of job creation.

Nahid further demanded parliamentary discussions on recent energy and trade deals with the United States, questioned the government’s legitimacy, and suggested that a midterm election might become necessary if governance and law and order do not improve.