Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Tuesday summoned the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, Pranay Verma, to protest the “regrettable incidents” around its missions in India.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said Verma was informed of Dhaka’s “grave concern over the regrettable incidents” outside the perimeter of the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi on Saturday and the “acts of vandalism” at its visa centre in Siliguri on Monday by “different extremist elements”.
India had on Sunday dismissed the Bangladeshi narrative on the sloganeering by some youths in front of the mission in New Delhi as “misleading propaganda”, but this was contested officially by Dhaka. India is yet to comment on the alleged “vandalism” at the visa centre in Siliguri.
The Indian envoy was summoned on a day protests broke out in multiple Indian cities against the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh last Thursday.
“Bangladesh also expressed deep concern over violent protests staged outside the premises of the different diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India,” the foreign ministry was quoted as saying by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the official news agency of the country.
Dhaka condemned what it described as premeditated violence against diplomatic establishments that not only endangered the safety of diplomatic personnel but also undermined the principles of mutual respect and values of peace and tolerance, it added.
The Bangladesh government urged India to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents, take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such acts and ensure the safety and security of Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and related facilities.
Apart from the high commission in Delhi, Bangladesh has deputy/ assistant high commissions in Calcutta, Mumbai, Chennai, Agartala and Guwahati.
On Monday, Bangladesh had suspended visa and consular services in New Delhi, Siliguri and Agartala. Foreign ministry officials said the suspension would remain in effect until further notice.
This is the second time in less than 10 days that Verma has been summoned by the Bangladesh foreign ministry. Earlier this month, he was summoned to convey Dhaka’s serious concern over India “allowing” ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to allegedly “make incendiary statements” asking her supporters to thwart the parliamentary elections due early next year.
A statement issued by the foreign ministry said it sought New Delhi’s cooperation to prevent the attackers of Inquilab Moncho convener Sharif Osman Hadi from entering India and immediately arrest and extradite them if they do, the local media reported.
On December 17, India’s external ministry had summoned Bangladesh high commissioner M. Riaz Hamidullah, citing security concerns around the Indian mission in Dhaka.
India’s action came after some extremist elements announced plans to hold protests around the Indian high commission in Dhaka.
The ministry said India “completely rejects the false narrative” sought to be created by extremist elements regarding certain recent events in Bangladesh.
“It is unfortunate that the interim government has neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India regarding the incidents,” it said shortly after summoning Hamidullah.