Staff Correspondent

The government of Bangladesh on Monday said it “deeply resents” the “violent demonstration and attack” by a large group of protesters of the Hindu Sangharsh Samity of Agartala on the premises of the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Agartala.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, underlined 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 28 November 2024.

“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 ministry said.

The government of India, in a separate statement, said they are taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Deputy/Assistant High Commissions in the country.

"The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable," said the Ministry of External Affairs.
Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances, the Indian ministry said.

As it is the responsibility of the host government to protect the diplomatic missions from any form of intrusion or damage, the government of Bangladesh called upon the government of India to take immediate action to address this incident, to undertake a thorough investigation into the incident.

Bangladesh sought steps 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.

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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

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

Regrettably, the ministry said, the local police persons present in charge of protecting the premises were found not to be active in containing the situation from the beginning.

All members of the Assistant High Commission are left with a deep sense of insecurity, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.