Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, was summoned by the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, a day after protestors attacked the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala.
Verma met with Bangladesh’s interim government acting Foreign Secretary, Riaz Hamidullah, to address the incident and discuss bilateral ties. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Verma emphasized the strength and depth of the relationship between the two nations, describing it as “wide-ranging and multifaceted.” He said that the relationship cannot be reduced to a single issue and reiterated India’s commitment to fostering a stable and constructive partnership with Bangladesh.
“We have a wide-ranging and multifaceted relationship. You cannot reduce it to one issue,” Verma said. “We want to build on the dependencies between the countries to achieve mutual benefit. There have been many positive developments in areas like power supply and essential commodities, and we remain committed to engaging based on the aspirations of the people.”
The meeting came in the wake of heightened security concerns after protestors breached the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala on December 2. In response, India announced an increase in security measures for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other diplomatic properties across the country.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed regret over the incident, adding, “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 assured that immediate steps were being taken to enhance security for all Bangladeshi diplomatic establishments in India.
The diplomatic incident comes against the backdrop of rising tensions in Bangladesh, marked by escalating violence against minority communities. The unrest has been fueled by the recent arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges, following allegations that he hoisted a saffron flag above Bangladesh’s national flag in Chittagong on October 25.
(Inputs from ANI)