NEW DELHI: Bangladesh’s interim government on Monday protested against a “violent demonstration” at its assistant high commission in Agartala, Tripura, and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The government of Bangladesh deeply resents the violent demonstration and attack by a large group of protesters early afternoon on the premises of the assistant high commission of Bangladesh in Agartala,” Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The foreign ministry’s comments came hours after thousands of people took out a massive rally near the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura.
The protest in Tripura on Monday was related to the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das and attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The rally was taken out under the banner of Hindu Sangharsh Samity, an affiliate of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
The Bangladesh foreign ministry, in its statement, also alleged that the protesters entered the mission’s premises after breaking through the main gate. It claimed that they vandalized the flagpole, desecrated the Bangladeshi national flag, and damaged property inside the complex.
“The accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises by breaking down the main gate of Bangladesh assistant high Commission in a pre-planned manner,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, India described the breach of the Bangladesh assistant high commission premises by protesters as “deeply regrettable.” “The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant high commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable,” the MEA said.
Moreover, the Bangladesh interim government also expressed dismay over Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s statement calling upon the central government to deploy UN peacekeeping forces in Bangladesh to protect Hindus and other minorities from violent attacks. “They can send the peacekeeping force to Bangladesh and rescue our people,” Banerjee said.
Responding to Mamata’s statement, Bangladesh’s de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain said, “I don’t know, I can’t understand why Mamata Banerjee made such a statement. I know her personally, I have visited her home several times.”
Relations between India and Bangladesh have faced challenges since the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power after the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. India has expressed concerns over attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.