India and Bangladesh have issued pointed statements, with Bangladesh dismissing the Indian foreign ministry’s account and describing a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi as “misleading propaganda.”
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, around 20–25 youths gathered outside the mission on December 20 to protest the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, and to seek protection for minorities.
The ministry asserted that there was no breach of security, and police cleared the area within minutes.
“We have noted misleading propaganda in certain sections of the Bangladeshi media about this incident,” said Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, adding that visual evidence of the event is publicly available. India affirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of foreign diplomatic missions as outlined by the Vienna Convention.
Additionally, India stated it was closely watching developments in Bangladesh, expressing “strong concerns” to Bangladeshi authorities regarding attacks on minorities, and urged that accountability be pursued for Das’s murder.
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry rebuffed India’s characterization, deeming it “unjustifiable” and claiming that the protest caused distress among the High Commission staff. It noted that the mission had not received prior notification about what it labeled an “organized event”.
Dhaka firmly rejected any communal framing, stating, “We dismiss the Indian authorities’ attempt to portray an isolated incident involving a Bangladeshi citizen, who is part of the Hindu community, as a broader attack on minorities,” in reference to Das’s death.
The interim government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding minorities and emphasized that all regional governments hold a responsibility to ensure the safety of minority populations within their borders.
Earlier, India suspended visa services at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chattogram, Bangladesh, due to a separate protest that raised security concerns.
This protest, sparked by the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, featured chants of anti-India slogans, with protestors believing the attackers had fled to India. They demanded the Bangladeshi government hold India accountable for alleged interference in Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
