Sanatani Hindu Sena members and supporters stage a protest demanding the release of ISKCON monk and Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das, in front of Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Bangladesh summoned the Indian envoy on Tuesday to convey Dhaka’s concerns about the breach of security at the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Agartala. Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma was called to meet the Acting Foreign Secretary of MoFA even as Bangladesh suspended consular and visa activities at its mission in Agartala.
Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, in an announcement, cited “security situation” declaring, “all visa and consular services in the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh will remain suspended till further notice.”
In Dhaka, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma met the Acting Foreign Secretary Riaz Hamidullah. Sources said the meeting was “cordial”.
Following the meeting Mr. Verma said, “We have wide-ranging, multi-faceted relationship and you cannot reduce it to one issue and one agenda. We have so many interdependencies and we want to build on those interdependencies. A number of positive developments in the relationship in the last few months, like trade, power transmission, supply of essential commodities have taken place. We are interested in working with the Government of Bangladesh to fulfil our shared aspirations for peace, security and development.”
On Tuesday, protests against alleged atrocities targeting minority Hindus in Bangladesh continued in Agartala, Assam, and West Bengal. The Sanatani Yuba, a right-wing youth organisation, held a protest rally in Agartala under heavy security presence. Anti-Bangladesh sentiment was on display across Assam. Congress members gathered outside the Bangladesh mission in Guwahati to protest against atrocities targeting minority Hindus in Bangladesh. Protests were staged by the members of Lok Jagran Manch in the State’s Nalbari, Chirang, Hojai, and Jorhat districts.
Bangladesh had reacted angrily on Monday after a group of people, who were protesting against the arrest of minority community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das’ arrest in Dhaka, broke into the Agartala mission and tore the Bangladesh flag. Student activist and adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, Nahid Islam, hit out at India on Tuesday and described West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s call for deployment of UN forces in Bangladesh as “baseless remark”.
“Her misplaced concern is ironic, given the vandalism of our Assistant High Commission just yesterday in Agartala,” said Mr. Islam who came to prominence during the student-people uprising of July-August that overthrew the Sheikh Hasina government.
In a detailed post on ‘X’, Mr. Islam described Indian people as “friends” but said, “India’s ruling elite and Hindutva forces do not want such democratic relations and harmony. They perceive Bangladesh’s uprising and the political awakening of its students as a threat.”
“India must not forget that its stability and integrity are closely interlinked with the stability and integrity of Bangladesh… Anti-Bangladesh and anti-Muslim politics will not serve India’s national interest or contribute to its unity,” Mr. Islam said.
Three police sub-inspectors in Tripura were suspended for negligence following the security breach at the Bangladesh mission in Agartala. Seven protesters from the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti have been detained in connection with the breach. The police and security agencies are currently reviewing CCTV footage and social media posts to identify those involved.
Following New Delhi’s assurance of enhanced security measure outside the mission, CRPF and Tripura State Rifles troops have been deployed, and two checkpoints have been set up outside as a security measure. Two additional checkpoints have been created on the Akhaura Road leading to the Agartala Integrated Check Post.
Published – December 03, 2024 07:25 pm IST