Protesters breach Bangladesh consulate premises in Agartala; India says ‘deeply regrettable’

India has described as “deeply regrettable” an incident of breach of the premises of the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala by a group of people protesting against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in the neighbouring country.

The comments by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came hours after the protesters reportedly barged into the assistant high commission of Bangladesh and allegedly resorted to vandalism.

The MEA said consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances and that the government is beefing up security at the Bangladeshi missions in India.

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Massive demonstration in Agartala

In Agartala, thousands of people took out a massive demonstration near the Bangladeshi mission protesting the arrest of Das as well as attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

“The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable,” the MEA said.

It is understood that the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi is lodging a protest over the “breach” at its mission in Agartala.

Government to beef up security

The MEA said the government was taking action to step up security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions of the country in India.

“Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances,” it said.

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“The government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their deputy/assistant high commissions in the country,” it said.

Bangladesh “deeply resents” attack

In a statement in Dhaka, the Bangladesh foreign ministry said it “deeply resents” the “violent demonstration and attack by a large group of protesters of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti” on the premises of the assistant high commission.

The protesters were allowed to enter the premises by “breaking down the main gate”, it alleged.

It said the protesters “vandalised the flag pole, desecrated the national flag of Bangladesh and also damaged properties inside the assistant high commission”.

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Bangladesh’s allegations

The Bangladesh foreign ministry further alleged the local police personnel “in charge of protecting the premises were found not to be active in containing the situation”.

It said “attack” on the mission violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and called upon the Indian counterpart to initiate a “thorough investigation” into the incident, prevent any further acts of violence against Bangladesh’s missions and ensure the security of Bangladeshi officials.

There has been a spate of attacks on minorities, including the Hindu community, in Bangladesh in the past few months.

India’s message

India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.

New Delhi also hoped that the case relating to Das, arrested on a charge of sedition, will be dealt with in a just, fair and transparent manner.

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“Our position on the matter is very clear — the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing on Friday.

“We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities,” he added.

ISKCON monk’s arrest and related attacks

Das was arrested at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport last week in connection with a sedition case.

Since then, two other ISKCON monks were also detained, the organisation’s Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das has claimed.

On Monday, he further claimed that Advocate Ramen Roy, who had defended Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in a legal case in Bangladesh, was brutally attacked by a group of Islamists at his home and is fighting for life in a hospital.

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The relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus came to power following the stepping down of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.

India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.

(With agency inputs)