A Kolkata hospital announced on Friday that it will not provide medical treatment to Bangladeshi patients to protest the alleged desecration of the Indian flag “in various places” in the neighbouring country, The Indian Express reported.

“Country is above all,” said Subhranshu Bhakta, the director of the JN Roy Hospital in the city’s Maniktala area. “Nothing can happen above the country. Medical service is a noble profession but the dignity of the country is paramount. Other medical institutions should also follow this path…”

“This is primarily because of the insults they have shown towards India,” PTI quoted Bhakta as saying. “Seeing the tricolour being insulted, we have decided to stop treating Bangladeshis.”

He urged other hospitals in Kolkata to join the protest against the alleged atrocities against religious minorities in Bangladesh, PTI reported.

This came days after images were widely shared on social media purportedly showing the Indian flag being stepped on by students at the entrance of the Bangladesh University of Engineering in Dhaka.

Following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in August, several parts of Bangladesh reported incidents of violence against religious minorities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in August urged Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. Yunus had claimed that reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh had been exaggerated.

On Tuesday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it was deeply concerned about Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das having been arrested and denied bail in Bangladesh. It added that the arrest had come after “multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh”.

However, Dhaka said that the events surrounding Das’ arrest had been misconstrued. It said that all citizens of Bangladesh were free to practice their religion, and that protecting minorities was the government’s duty.

On Thursday, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that there had been several incidents of desecration and damage to Hindu temples in Bangladesh in the past few months.