Sat Dec 07 06:25:14 UTC 2024: ## Assam Hotels Boycott Bangladeshi Tourists Amidst Religious Violence Concerns
**GUWAHATI, Assam, December 7, 2024** – Hotels in Assam’s Barak Valley have announced a boycott of Bangladeshi nationals in protest against alleged atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. The decision, announced Friday by the Barak Valley Hotel and Restaurant Association president Babul Rai, affects hotels across the three districts of Cachar, Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj), and Hailakandi, which share a 129-km border with Bangladesh.
The boycott, described as a form of protest, will remain in effect until the situation improves and attacks on Hindus cease, Rai stated. He emphasized the need for stability to return to Bangladesh before the boycott will be reconsidered.
This action follows recent protests in the region. The Bajrang Dal, a Hindu nationalist group, successfully pressured organizers of a global expo in Silchar to remove two stalls selling Bangladeshi products. They also demanded the removal of “Bangladesh” from a local visa center signboard. These protests are fueled by concerns over alleged atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh and the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmaya Krishna Das. The situation highlights rising tensions between the two countries and underscores the deep concern over the treatment of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
First Piper 