A toll plaza employee has been accused of calling a Bengali-speaking truck driver a “Bangladeshi” and verbally abusing him after he requested that the employee speak in Bengali, triggering criticism and concerns over alleged discrimination against Bengali speakers.
The incident reportedly took place around 9 pm on Monday, October 26, at the Shibpur toll plaza on National Highway 12, under Nabagram police station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
A video of the exchange has since circulated on social media, drawing criticism from several individuals.
Driver Says Dispute Began Over Toll Payment
The driver, Rafikul Khan, is a resident of Narayanpur under Thanarpara police station in Nadia district. He was transporting 16 tonnes of bananas from Karimpur towards Siliguri when he stopped at the toll plaza to pay the toll.
According to reports, Khan was speaking in Bengali when a toll plaza employee allegedly questioned his nationality.
In the video circulating online, the employee can be heard asking, “Are you from outside India? Are you Bangladeshi? Are you Bangladeshi, that I should speak in Bengali?”
In a video posted on his social media account, Khan said the dispute began when an employee approached him and started speaking in Hindi.
He said he explained that he could not understand Hindi and requested that the employee speak in Bengali. The employee allegedly called him a “Bangladeshi” and verbally abused him.
Khan said he protested against the behaviour but had not filed a formal complaint with any authority.
Police Say No Complaint Has Been Received
A police official said no complaint had been received in connection with the incident.
The official said the matter would be investigated if a formal complaint was filed.
Alleged Remarks Spark Debate Over Linguistic Discrimination
The incident has drawn condemnation from several individuals, who have highlighted that Bengali is one of the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and is spoken by millions of Indian citizens.
Critics have argued that questioning someone’s nationality merely because they speak Bengali reflects prejudice and raises concerns about discrimination against linguistic communities.
Speaking to The Observer Post, teacher Alamgir Hossain said Bengali is spoken by large populations across West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, just as Punjabi is spoken on both sides of the India-Pakistan border.
“The narrow-minded and malicious notion that every Bengali speaker is necessarily ‘Bangladeshi’ undermines national unity and communal harmony. Such harassment clearly amounts to regional prejudice and ethnic discrimination. The toll plaza authorities and the local administration must conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take legal action against the accused employee,” he said.
Lawyer Masum Rahman also condemned the alleged behaviour, saying every conscious citizen should speak out against such hateful conduct.
