DHAKA, Dec 2: On Monday, Bangladesh’s interim government expressed its discontent regarding a “violent demonstration” at its Assistant High Commission in Agartala. This protest was staged by individuals opposing the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, and the government has called for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
India has labeled the breach of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission by protestors as “deeply regrettable.”
Thousands participated in a significant rally near the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura’s capital, protesting Das’s arrest in Bangladesh along with perceived attacks on the Hindu community within the country.
According to a statement from the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, it was alleged that protesters were permitted to enter the premises, where they subsequently vandalised the flagpole and desecrated Bangladesh’s national flag.
“Reports confirm that the protesters were permitted to force their way into the premises by breaching the main gate of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in a premeditated manner,” the statement elaborated.
It was reported that the protesters not only vandalised the flagpole and defiled the national flag of Bangladesh but also caused damage to the property within the Assistant High Commission, all with local law enforcement agencies present on-site.
“Regrettably, the local police responsible for safeguarding the premises were inactive in managing the situation from the outset,” the statement continued, raising concerns among the officials at the complex.
“This particular incident in Agartala transgresses the inviolability of diplomatic missions as stipulated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961,” the statement asserted.
Dhaka urged the Indian government to take prompt actions to address this incident, emphasizing that it is the host government’s duty to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has announced that the government is taking steps to enhance security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, as well as for other diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India.
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has called on Delhi to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident and to take measures to prevent any further acts of violence against Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions in India. This includes ensuring the safety and security of diplomats, non-diplomatic staff, and their families.
Furthermore, the Bangladeshi government wishes to emphasize that this egregious attack on its diplomatic mission and the desecration of its national flag forms part of a pattern, following a similar violent demonstration that occurred in Kolkata on November 28, 2024.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have soured since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus assumed power following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
India continues to express concern over the treatment of minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. (PTI)
