NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, was summoned by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday following the breach of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala by protestors on December 2. Verma met with Bangladesh’s acting Foreign Secretary, Riaz Hamidullah, to discuss the incident and reaffirm the importance of the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Verma highlighted that India and Bangladesh share a “wide-ranging and multifaceted” relationship, emphasizing that the two countries cannot be reduced to one issue. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to fostering a stable and constructive partnership with Bangladesh, particularly in areas like power supply and essential commodities. “We want to build on the dependencies between the countries to achieve mutual benefit,” he said.
The meeting between the two diplomats followed heightened security concerns in the wake of the Agartala incident. India responded by announcing increased security measures for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other diplomatic properties across the country.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed regret over the breach of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala. A statement from the MEA noted, “The breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable. Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances.” The ministry also assured that immediate steps would be taken to enhance security for all Bangladeshi diplomatic establishments in India.
This diplomatic incident occurred against the backdrop of escalating violence against minority communities in Bangladesh. The unrest has been fueled by the recent arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges. Das was arrested after allegations that he hoisted a saffron flag above Bangladesh’s national flag in Chittagong on October 25. The incident has heightened tensions within Bangladesh and strained relations between the two nations.
