Protest against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das carried out in Bangladesh. Photo: PTI Protest against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das carried out in Bangladesh. Photo: PTI 
The Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh met with Bangladesh's interim government acting Foreign Secretary on Tuesday after the former was summoned following a breach in the Bangladesh mission premises in Agartala on Monday.betlead
The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma said the meeting was part of their regular exchanges and the two countries "really want to build a positive, stable and constructive relationship moving forward."
India on Monday described as “deeply regrettable” the incident of the breach of the premises of the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala in the northeastern state of Tripura, by a group of people protesting the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Chinmay Krishna, who served as a spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on November 25 while en route to Chattogram to attend a rally. He was denied bail and sent to jail a day later by a court in the neighbouring country.
His lawyer was reportedly attacked and on Tuesday there were no lawyers available to represent Das and the hearing has been postponed to January 2.
In the wake of escalating violence against the Hindu community in Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government earlier this year, Bangladeshi Hindu devotees and their families are facing lack of security in their own country.
Bangladesh Summons Indian High Commissioner After Agartala IncidentBangladesh on Tuesday summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to the Foreign Affairs Ministry office in Dhaka, a day after Dhaka lodged a strong protest against the alleged vandalism of its mission in the Indian state of Tripura.
“He (Verma) came as he was asked to come when we conveyed him our concerns,” a Foreign Ministry official briefly said.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain earlier said the Indian envoy was asked to come to the foreign office after the Agartala incident.
Verma, on the other hand, said Delhi wants to build a “constant stable, constructive relationship” with Bangladesh saying no single issue should stand a barrier for bilateral ties.
“We are willing to engage with the interim government of Bangladesh,” he told reporters emerging from the meeting with acting foreign secretary Riaz Hamidullah.
The envoy described the relationship as “multifaceted and wide-ranging,” which could not sit with one issue or agenda and India is interested to work with Bangladesh government to fulfill the two countries shared aspiration for peace, security and development.
Verma also said there are many interdependencies and Delhi is keen to build on that for mutual benefits.
Indian High Commissioner On Meeting With Bangladesh's Interim Govt Acting Foreign SecyAfter meeting Bangladesh's interim government acting Foreign Secretary, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma reportedly said, "This (meeting) was a part of our regular exchanges. We have such a wide-ranging and multi-faceted relationship with Bangladesh that you cannot reduce it to one issue or one agenda. We really want to build a positive, stable and constructive relationship moving forward. There are so many inter-dependencies we have and we want to build on those to mutual benefit. We have maintained a lot of positive momentum in the relationship. We are willing to engage with the interim govt of Bangladesh and we remain interested in working with Bangladesh to fulfil our shared aspirations for peace, security and development."
VIDEO | “This is something we keep talking about. We have such a wide range of relationships and you cannot reduce it to one issue or one agenda. We are working across so many issues. We want to build positive, stable, and constructive relations moving forward,” says Indian High… pic.twitter.com/ijYJE9ph11
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 3, 2024Agartala Bangladesh Mission Suspends All Services
All consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala will remain suspended until further notice because of security reasons, an official of the mission said here on Tuesday.
Md Al-Ameen, the first secretary to the Bangladesh mission told PTI, “Given the security situation, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala, will remain suspended until further notice. This comes into effect immediately."
Agartala: Action Against 4 Police Officers, 7 People Arrested Over Breach Of Bangladesh Mission Premises; Security Beefed Up In Delhi
The police told PTI on Tuesday that action was taken against four police officers and seven people were arrested in connection with the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, a day before.
Three sub-inspectors were suspended and a deputy superintendent of police was 'closed', asking him to report to the police headquarters, for alleged negligence in duty, SP of West Tripura Kiran Kumar K told PTI.
"A suo moto case was registered at the New Capital Complex (NCC) police station over the incident. Seven persons have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the incident," he said.
Police have already begun an investigation into the incident, and will take steps as per the law, he added.
Delhi Police on Tuesday stepped up security around the Bangladesh High Commission in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
In Agartala, thousands of people took out a massive demonstration near the Bangladeshi mission on Monday against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das as well as attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Know More About The Incident Here
No Lawyer To Represent Hindu Monk In Bangladesh Court; ISKCON Kolkata Appeals To Bangladesh Govt For Safety Of Lawyers
A Bangladesh court on Tuesday deferred to next month a hearing on the bail petition of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested on a sedition charge, as no lawyer appeared on his behalf.
Swatantra Gauranga Das, an associate of the monk at his Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, claimed that no lawyer represented the Hindu leader due to threats from a “politically motivated lawyers' group”.
The bail hearing at the Chattogram court has now been postponed to January 2.
There was heavy security in the Chattogram court area for the bail hearing. Das was not brought to the court for the hearing. A Chattogram Bar Association leader and other lawyers were seen holding a protest march on the court premises.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Kolkata has appealed to the Bangladesh government to ensure the safety of lawyers willing to represent Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in an ongoing case, following a brutal attack on his lawyer.
ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das on Monday claimed that Ramen Roy, who was defending Chinmoy Krishna Das, was attacked by a group of Islamists at his home in Bangladesh.
The attack left Roy critically injured, and he is currently in the ICU, fighting for his life, ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson claimed.
ISKCON Kolkata Suggested Fellow Bangladeshi Monks, Followers To Practice Faith 'Discreetly'
ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das on Tuesday said he has urged its monks and followers from Bangladesh to avoid wearing saffron robes and 'tilak' in public, advising them to practice their faith discreetly amid safety concerns following targeted attacks against Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country.
"The situation in Bangladesh is alarming. The monks and devotees, who have been calling us, we have told them to hide their identity as ISKCON followers or monks publicly. We have asked them to practice their faith discreetly inside homes or inside the temples. We have advised them to dress in a manner that does not draw attention," Das, who is also ISKCON Kolkata vice-president, told PTI.
He emphasised that the measure was temporary and aimed solely at ensuring their safety.
"This is not any advisory or generic guideline but my personal suggestion to monks and devotees who have been calling us frantically over the last few days," he said.
"Many of our devotees and their families are facing threats and intimidation," Das added, referring to incidents of vandalism of temples and attacks on religious gatherings.
TMC Urges Centre To Ask UN To Dispatch Peacekeeping Forces In Bangladesh
Expressing concern over targeting of religious minorities in Bangladesh, the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday urged the central government to ask the United Nations to immediately dispatch peacekeeping forces to the neighbouring country.
TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.
He said minorities, including Hindus, are being tortured and killed in Bangladesh and urged the Centre to appeal to the UN to immediately send peacekeeping forces to the country.
Being an immediate neighbour of Bangladesh, West Bengal is directly affected by the happenings there. In the past too, there had been an influx of refugees, he said.
Bengal Cm Mamata Banerjee urged for the same on Monday while addressing the state assembly.
Writ Petition Filed In Bangladesh To Ban All Indian TV ChannelsA writ petition has been filed in the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on the broadcast of all Indian TV channels, citing provocative content aired by them.
Lawyer Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan filed the petition, which was confirmed by media reports on Monday. The petition requests a hearing before a bench consisting of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi.
The petition urges the court to issue a directive under Section 29 of the Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006betlead, which would prohibit the broadcast of Indian TV channels in Bangladesh. It also seeks a ruling on why a ban should not be imposed on these channels within the country.
