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Published : 02 Dec 2024, 08:58 PM
The Indian government has expressed deep regret amid protests and tension over the reports of an ‘attack’ after breaching the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, the capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura.
A group of protesters carried out the attack after they stormed the high commission premises on Monday afternoon.
Later, they lowered the national flag of Bangladesh there, according to Indian media and BBC Bangla.
Police and law-enforcing personnel dispersed the crowd afterwards.
Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in the evening that all members of the mission were left with a deep sense of ‘insecurity’ after the sudden attack.
According to the ministry's press release, the protesters took advantage of the police’s inaction to break through the main gate of the mission before their eyes in a ‘pre-planned manner’. They also vandalised belongings inside the high commission.
Several media outlets from India's northeast region reported a massive protest at the Bangladesh mission in Agartala in the afternoon at the call of a right-wing organisation named Hindu Sangharsh Samity, or Hindu Conflict Association.
According to the reports, the protest was called to condemn the arrest and jail order of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a spokesperson of the Sammilita Sanatan Jagaran Jote, or United Hindu Awakening Alliance.
In a statement after the incident, India’s foreign ministry said the incident of 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 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.”
According to the BBC Bangla, the Bangladesh mission in Agartala was vandalised and the national flag was taken down.
It added that a meeting of the Hindu Conflict Association against the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna was held outside the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Agartala.
After the meeting, a six-member delegation of the organisation went to the high commission office to submit a memorandum.
“A group of Hindu youths who were outside suddenly entered the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission office and tore down the national flag of Bangladesh. Later, they vandalised a few signboards of the high commission office and set it on fire."
According to the Times of India, the protesters allegedly barged into the mission. They had called for the demonstration in protest against the atrocities on the Sanatan or Hindu community.
According to an online report by North East Live, the peaceful sit-in near the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Circuit House Roundabout in the region suddenly turned violent. The protesters broke the police barricades and entered the Bangladesh mission.
A video of the incident shows two groups of protesters vying over a Bangladeshi flag. Police and security forces later cleared the protesters from the scene.
Earlier on Nov 28, the interim government had slated the burning of the national flag and the effigy of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata.
