NEW DELHI, Dec 2: India on Monday expressed deep regret over a breach at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, where a group of protesters entered the premises, voicing dissent against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the incident and emphasized that diplomatic properties must not be targeted under any circumstances.
The MEA announced that security is being enhanced at all Bangladeshi missions in India following the incident, which saw thousands of people rally near the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura’s capital. The protest was in response to Das’s arrest and reports of 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 in a statement. It is reported that over 50 protesters entered the mission premises, causing significant concern among Bangladeshi officials stationed there.
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi is expected to lodge a formal protest over the breach at its mission in Agartala. The MEA reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of diplomatic missions and announced that additional security measures are being implemented for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and its other consular offices across India.
“Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances,” the MEA emphasized.
In response, Bangladesh’s interim government issued a strong statement on Monday, condemning what it called a “violent demonstration” at its Assistant High Commission in Agartala. It described the incident as pre-planned and demanded a thorough investigation.
In its statement, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry alleged that protesters broke through the main gate of the mission and vandalized the flagpole, desecrated the Bangladeshi national flag, and damaged property within the premises. The ministry expressed concern over the inaction of local law enforcement, which it claimed failed to prevent the breach.
“The accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises by breaking down the main gate of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in a pre-planned manner,” the statement read.
Bangladesh alleged that the local police, who were tasked with safeguarding the diplomatic premises, were inactive during the incident. “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,” the statement added.
The foreign ministry highlighted that the breach violated the inviolability of diplomatic missions as mandated by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961.
“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 noted.
Dhaka called upon the Indian government to take immediate action to address the breach and reiterated that it is the host country’s responsibility to ensure the safety of diplomatic missions.
The incident occurred amidst growing unrest over the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh. Thousands of protesters had gathered outside the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala to denounce his detention and highlight alleged attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
