The Bangladeshi government has strongly condemned an attack on its consulate in Agartala, the capital of the Indian state of Tripura, allegedly carried out by members of a Hindu group.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka expressed deep concern over the incident, which it attributed to protesters from the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti, a Hindu religious advocacy platform.
“The accounts received conclusively attest that the protesters were allowed to aggress into the premises by breaking down the main gate of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in a pre-planned manner,” said the statement.
During the attack, the protesters vandalized property within the consulate, desecrated Bangladesh’s national flag, and damaged the flagpole, according to the statement.
It criticized the local law enforcement agencies for failing to effectively manage the situation and prevent the violence.
“This particular act in Agartala stands in violation of the inviolability of diplomatic missions, as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, asks for,” read the statement.
Dhaka also called on New Delhi to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take steps to prevent similar acts of aggression against its diplomatic missions in India.
It also demanded assurances for the safety and security of diplomats, consulate staff and their families.
The statement further noted that this “heinous” incident follows a pattern, referencing a similar violent demonstration at Bangladesh’s mission in Kolkata on November 28.