Kolkata airport mosque row: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind holds peaceful protest

People in West Bengal wore black armbands during Friday prayers to protest against the restriction of access to the Bankra mosque at Kolkata airport. The protest was called by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, citing it as a 'black day for India'.

Several people who arrived to offer Friday prayers at a mosque in West Bengal were seen wearing black armbands today, following a call for a peaceful protest by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Siddiqullah Chowdhury after access to the Bankra mosque, located on the Kolkata airport premises, was stopped citing security concerns.

Security has been heavily deployed near the Bankra mosque in view of the call for a peaceful protest by Chowdhury. The restrictions on the mosque, situated within the high-security airport zone, have sparked significant backlash.

'A Black Day for India'

Speaking on the development, Siddiqullah Chowdhury, president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, West Bengal, said, "This is a black day for India. I am sad because Bankra was defamed. In West Bengal, one crore people, 55,000 mosques, prayed today and showed this black armband."

Expressing his grief over the situation, Chowdhury added, "I am sad that Bankra was defamed. I had never said that lakhs of people would gather here."

Mosque Relocation and Security Concerns

The remarks came after the BJP-led West Bengal government on Saturday decided to remove the century-old Bankra Mosque located inside the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata outside the premises of the airport due to security concerns.

Runway Expansion Plans Affected

Earlier in December 2025, Majumdar had raised security concerns over the mosque located in the operational area of Kolkata Airport, stating that its presence had affected runway expansion plans and should be relocated in consultation with the Airport Authority of India.

Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "This is a long-standing demand. Because of this, the runway length is not being increased. Having a masjid at a place as sensitive as the airport, that too near the runway, is worrying. Masjid can be moved to another place, as is done in the UAE. A masjid is a place where you offer namaz, unlike a temple, where an idol is consecrated. If the masjid committee thinks about the country, they should have a discussion with the Airport Authority of India. A new masjid can be built elsewhere."

The mosque, believed to be more than 130 years old and older than the airport itself, is located around 165 metres from the airport's secondary runway. Aviation authorities have maintained that its presence restricts runway expansion, affects flight operations and delays the installation of advanced Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) required for aircraft operations during periods of dense winter fog.(ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)