Bangladesh calls back Kolkata, Agartala mission chiefs

The interim government has summoned the heads of Bangladesh's assistant high commissions in Kolkata and Agartala to Dhaka following protests outside the Kolkata mission and the attack on the Agartala mission.

Md Ashraful Rahman Shikdar, acting deputy high commissioner in Kolkata, has arrived and briefed officials, including Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain, a senior foreign ministry official confirmed on Thursday, reports bdnews24.com.

Arifur Rahman, assistant high commissioner in Agartala, is en route to the capital.

The unrest was triggered by the arrest and imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu priest and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, leading to protests across India, especially in states bordering Bangladesh.

On Monday, a group under the right-wing banner of Hindu Sangharsh Samity, or Hindu Conflict Association, attacked the Bangladesh mission in Agartala, vandalising the premises and desecrating the national flag.

While India’s Ministry of External Affairs described the attack as “deeply regrettable,” Bangladesh's government expressed outrage, labelling the incident as “premeditated” and criticising the inaction of law enforcers during the attack.

The incident sparked protests in Bangladesh as well.

On Tuesday, the foreign ministry summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma and lodged a formal protest.

Protests outside the Kolkata mission saw incidents of burning the Bangladeshi national flag and an effigy of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

A foreign ministry official said summoning diplomats indicates the seriousness of such incidents, enabling direct discussions to address and resolve the matter.