Hundreds of students have taken to the streets in recent hours to demonstrate against the assault on the diplomatic representation, with serious damage to the building. Demonstrations had previously taken place in India against the arrest of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in the neighboring country. The two governments reinforce control and security measures.
Dhaka () – Tensions are increasing again between Dhaka and Delhi, in a general context of critical and progressively deteriorating relations between the two countries after the fall in Bangladesh, on August 5, of the government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The latest episode that has revived spirits occurred on December 2 in Agartala, in the federal state of Tripura of which it is the capital, in northeastern India: dozens of protesters attacked the Bangladeshi consulate, causing serious damage to the building. In response, a few hours later hundreds of students and activists demonstrated in Dhaka against the attack, from which the Delhi government distanced itself, calling it “deeply regrettable.”
Commenting on the assault, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs reminded that “diplomatic and consular property should not be attacked under any circumstances.” The government, the note continued, is “intensifying security” around Bangladeshi diplomatic facilities and representations in the country, while police forces have detained at least seven people in connection with the incident in the days since. . However, the conviction and arrests were not enough to try to alleviate the escalation of tension between the parties.
For Delhi, Bangladesh is not only a neighboring country, but also a strategic partner and a crucial ally for border security, especially in the northeastern states, in addition to sharing close cultural and linguistic ties. Hindus make up less than 10% of Bangladesh’s 170 million people, and community leaders have in the past reported cases of hate attacks and discrimination by radical Islamic groups and some political parties. Following Hasina’s chaotic overthrow in August, many of her supporters were targeted, including minority religious groups traditionally considered supporters of the former premier.
After weeks of relative calm, the situation became tense again following the arrest by the Dhaka authorities of the Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, which once again inflamed tempers between the parties. A crescendo of violence led hundreds of protesters affiliated with the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti to break into the diplomatic headquarters on December 2 and tear down the Bangladeshi flag, then set it on fire. The unrest spread to other areas of the border, where protesters blocked trade, disrupting imports and exports, and set fire to goods coming from the neighboring country. In response, the Dhaka government lodged a formal protest against the attack, while demonstrations against the attack multiplied on university campuses.
To avoid new acts of violence, the governments of the respective countries decided to reinforce controls and security devices around diplomatic missions. In Bangladesh, police and army units were deployed outside the Indian consulate in Khulna following reports that protests were planned. Indignation and anger over the Agartala attack are increasing among citizens, and calls and invitations to join street demonstrations are multiplying on social media. Legal expert Asif Nazrul describes the attack perpetrated by members of the Hindu SangharshSamiti as “atrocious” and wonders what harsh response Delhi would have adopted if a radical Muslim movement had attacked an Indian diplomatic representation in the territory.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fueled controversy by urging the Indian central government to request the deployment of UN peacekeepers to Bangladesh and asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to protect religious minorities. Mamata’s remarks sparked fierce criticism across the border, with political leaders rejecting the accusations. Among them, the general secretary of the Bnp, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who stated that the words of the Indian politician were a “direct threat” to the independence and territorial sovereignty of Bangladesh. Finally, demonstrations by university students, students and activists continue, with a rally at the University of Dhaka on December 2 and other pickets called for the coming days.
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