Dhaka resents 'heinous attack' on Agartala mission

The Bangladesh government has expressed deep resentment over the violent demonstration and "heinous attack" by members of the Hindu Sangharsh Samity on the premises of Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala on Monday afternoon.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement today said, "Accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters forcefully entered the premises by breaking down the main gate of the Assistant High Commission in a pre-planned manner." 

The ministry noted that in the presence of local law enforcement agencies, the protesters vandalised the flagpole, desecrated the national flag of Bangladesh, and damaged property within the mission. All members of the Assistant High Commission are left with a deep sense of insecurity.

Following the incident, India's Ministry of External Affairs said the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is "deeply regrettable". 

Issuing a statement, the ministry said, "Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. Government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Deputy/Assistant High Commission in the country."

The incident came as thousands of people took out a massive rally in the Tripura capital to protest the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, demand his immediate release, and what they said was the stoppage of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, according to media reports.  

Notably, the rally near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner's office in Agartala was taken out under the Hindu Sangharsh Samity's banner, which is an affiliate of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), writes The Hindustan Times.

Agitation outside Deputy High Commission in Mumbai 

In another development, Hundreds of protesters, including members of right-wing groups such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad, gathered outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Mumbai today, demanding the immediate release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, reports The Hindu. 

The protesters, led by religious leaders and activists, voiced concerns over what they described as "targeted attacks on minority Hindus" in Bangladesh. BJP MLA and former minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha also joined the protest, wrote the Indian newspaper.  

Tensions marred Dhaka-Delhi ties of late amid India media reports on "attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh", which the interim government rejects as mere propaganda, saying it is committed to ensure religious harmony. The relations were further tainted after the arrest of former Iskcon leader Chinmoy. 

A Chattogram court on 26 November sent Chinmoy, also spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote and principal of the Pundarik Dham at Hathazari, to jail after rejecting his bail plea in a sedition case.

Over this, the Indian foreign ministry issued a statement expressing "deep concern", to which Dhaka sharply reacted. 

'Part of a pattern'

The Bangladesh foreign ministry in its statement today said this "heinous attack" on Bangladesh's diplomatic mission and the desecration of its national flag is "part of a pattern", following a similar violent demonstration in Kolkata on 28 November.

"This particular act in Agartala stands in violation of the inviolability of diplomatic missions, as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, asks for," it added.

The ministry noted, "As it is the responsibility of the host government to protect the diplomatic missions from any form of intrusion or damage, the Government of Bangladesh calls upon the Government of India to take immediate action to address this incident, to undertake a thorough investigation into the incident and to prevent any further acts of violence against the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India, including the safety and security of the diplomats and the non-diplomatic members of staff and members of their families."  

The Agartala incident drew condemnation from various organisations in Bangladesh, including Jatiya Nagorik Committee, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Around 9pm, students staged a protest procession from the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University, denouncing the attack.

Earlier 29 November, the foreign ministry in another statement "strongly condemned" the desecration of its national flag and the burning of an effigy of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus during a violent protest organised outside the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata.

It called upon the Indian government to take immediate measures to prevent such incidents in the future.