Interim government demands thorough investigation into attack on Bangladesh mission in Agartala

Dhaka: Bangladesh's interim government Monday protested a "violent demonstration" at its Assistant High Commission in Agartala by a group of people protesting against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.

India has described as "deeply regrettable" the incident of breach of the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission by protesters.

Thousands of people took out a massive rally near the Bangladeshi mission in the capital city of Tripura, protesting the arrest of Das in Bangladesh as well as attacks on the Hindu community in the country.

In a statement, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry alleged that the Agartala protesters were allowed to enter the premises following which they vandalised the flag pole and desecrated the national flag of Bangladesh.

"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.

In the process, it said, the protesters vandalised the flag pole, desecrated the national flag of Bangladesh and also damaged properties inside the Assistant High Commission in the presence of the members of the local law enforcement agencies.

"Regrettably, the local police persons present in charge of protecting the premises were found not to be active in containing the situation from the beginning," it said, adding that the situation has raised concerns among the officials at the complex.

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

Dhaka called upon the Indian government to take immediate steps to address this incident, saying it is the responsibility of the host government to protect the diplomatic missions.

The Ministry of External Affairs has said in a statement that the government is taking action to step up security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions of the country in India.

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry urged Delhi 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.

It said that the Bangladesh government would further like to underline that this heinous attack on a diplomatic mission of Bangladesh and desecration of the national flag of Bangladesh comes in a pattern, further to a similar violent demonstration in Kolkata on November 28, 2024.

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

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