Dhaka summons Indian envoy after attack on Bangladesh mission in Agartala

Pranay Verma was asked to come to the Foreign Ministry following an attack on Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commission in Agartala

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma has answered the summons from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following an attack on Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commission in Agartala.

The Indian envoy went to the office of Acting Foreign Secretary M Riaz Hamidullah at 4pm on Tuesday.

Asked about the incident, Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain said: “He was asked to come.”

An organisation called the Hindu Sangharsha Samity called a protest at the Agartala mission to protest the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesman of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, on Monday.

After a rally, a six-member delegation went inside the offices to submit a letter.

According to reports from Indian media outlets and BBC Bangla, protesters suddenly entered the premises of the Assistant High Commission in Agartala on Monday afternoon, vandalised the property, and took down the Bangladeshi national flag. Law-enforcing officers later removed the protesters from the premises.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs then released a statement describing the incident as "very regrettable".

“Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. The government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their deputy or assistant high commissions in the country.”

However, the Bangladeshi interim government labelled the attack as ‘pre-planned’ and accused Indian law-enforcing agencies of failing to act.

Expressing ‘deep resentment’ over the incident in a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Indian government to ensure the safety and security of all diplomatic missions and staff members on Monday.

At the same time, the Indian government has been asked to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident alongside the call to prevent any further acts of violence against the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India.

Indian news outlet Telegraph reports that police have arrested seven people in connection with the incident in Agartala. Action is also being taken against four police personnel for dereliction of duty.

Kiran Kumar K, superintendent of police for West Tripura, said that police have filed a case at the New Capital Complex (NCC) Police Station over the incident.