Bangladesh has reacted angrily to the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, India.

This response was given in a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday (December 2) night.

It said the Government of Bangladesh is deeply angered by the violent protest and attack on the premises of the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh by protesters of Hindu Sangram Samiti in Agartala early today (December 2).

Earlier, members of a Hindutva association vandalized the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission office in Agartala on Monday. The protest rally was held in front of the Gandhi statue located at Circuit House in Agartala. Later, a six-member delegation from the protest rally went to the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission and submitted a memorandum.

At one point, the angry members of the association entered the Assistant High Commission and pulled down the national flag of Bangladesh and tore it. Later, the signboard in front of the building broke and set on fire.

The BJP had staged a blockade at Petrapole, an important land border between India and Bangladesh, demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested in a sedition case in Bangladesh.

However, their plan was foiled due to tight security by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and police at the border. No protesters were allowed to approach the zero point of the border. In addition to the Indian Border Security Force, the state police had also taken extra precautions along the border.

Earlier, BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal state assembly, Shuvendu Adhikari, had threatened on Wednesday that if Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested in a sedition case in the country, was not released, they would stop import, export, visa and medical services for Bangladeshis through Benapole port with India from Monday (December 2) morning.

On Monday (December 2), hundreds of BJP supporters held a rally in the Petrapole area after noon. BJP leader and state opposition leader Shuvendu Adhikari addressed the meeting. Later, they protested at the zero line and tried to prevent an untoward incident.

Benapole Immigration Checkpost Officer-in-Charge (OC) Imtiaz Ahmed said that he has come to know that meetings and rallies have been going on at the Petrapole border since morning. However, the Indian Petrapole Immigration Authority has not given any instructions to stop the travel of passport holders. As a result, although the number of passengers is low, the movement of passengers between the two countries is normal so far.

Shahabuddin, a returnee passport holder from India, said that some anti-Bangladesh people are using mikes to pressure hotel owners to stop Bangladeshis from staying in hotels in Banga town of West Bengal. This has spread some panic among ordinary Bangladeshis and many have returned to the country. However, no obstacles have been created by the administration. As a result, the passport holders have received support in their positions there.

It is worth mentioning that recently, ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested on charges of sedition. Since then, a section of Hindus have started a movement demanding his release. Demanding his release, several organizations in West Bengal, India are pressuring the Indian government to stop visas, medical services for Bangladeshis, and import and export trade between the two countries. However, as India-Bangladesh relations remain intact, trade and travel between the two countries are normal.

Amid various conspiracies against the country over the arrest of ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, the sincerity of the India-Bangladesh governments means that trade and passport holders' movement between the two countries through the Benapole land port remains normal.

Business leaders say that if trade services or visas are stopped, both countries will suffer. Therefore, the government must be vigilant so that isolated incidents of instigators do not create differences in the trade and friendly relations between the two countries. Meanwhile, security has been strengthened at the Benapole-Petrapole border to avoid unpleasant incidents.

It is known that 80 percent of the trade or passport holders' movement between India and Bangladesh via the country's land route uses Benapole and India's Petrapole ports. The Indian government earns about 150 crore Rupee in visa fees from about 23 lakh passport holders annually. And India exports goods worth 14 billion US dollars to this country. Thousands of Indian students are studying in this country at low cost.

In July-August, the students and people's movement against discrimination disrupted normal import-export trade and passport holders' travel for two months. Later, when the interim government gradually started returning to the country after taking office, the anti-nationals started various conspiracies to ruin this relationship by making provocative statements. Recently, ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested for sedition. Since then, the anti-nationals have raised their heads again on the pretext of demanding his release. Under their instigation, extremist organizations in West Bengal, India are pressuring the Indian government to stop visas for Bangladeshis, medical services and import-export trade between the two countries. However, as India-Bangladesh relations are still intact, trade and travel between the two countries are normal.

Indian truck driver Animesh, who brought imported goods to Benapole port, said on Monday morning that some organizations are holding meetings and rallies at the Petrapole border demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Many are speaking out to stop trade and travel of passport holders. However, no instructions have been given by the Indian government to stop trade or travel. As a result, there has been no obstacle in the transportation of their goods.

On the way back after unloading Bangladeshi export goods at Petrapole port, truck driver Muslim said that he returned after unloading the goods as usual as there is no ban on export trade by the Petrapole port authority.

Abdul Mujit, a passport holder who returned to India, said on Monday morning that there are some extremist organizations in West Bengal, India, and they are creating panic among people by making provocative statements. But no one on behalf of the Indian government is creating obstacles to travel. However, due to panic, many Bangladeshis are returning home after hearing the news of the check post closure. Security has been increased at the border to avoid untoward incidents.

Azim Uddin Gazi, secretary of the Benapole Transport Owners Association, said that if trade or visas are closed, both countries will suffer because a large amount of goods are exported from Bangladesh to India. In addition, there are thousands of Indians who are in Bangladesh to study at low cost.

Kazi Ratan, Assistant Attendant of the Benapole land port, said that 120 trucks of various types of goods have been imported from India and 76 trucks of goods have been exported till 2 pm on Monday. More than 4,000 passport holders have traveled between the two countries. Trade and travel are normal so far, he said.

Imtiaz Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Benapole immigration check post, said that the Petrapole immigration authorities in India have not given any instructions to stop the travel of passport holders. As a result, passenger movement between the two countries is normal.

It is worth noting that BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal State Legislative Assembly, Shuvendu Adhikari, had threatened on Wednesday that he would stop import-export, visa and medical services for Bangladeshis with India through Benapole Port from this morning if Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested in a sedition case in the country, was not released. 

Chief Adviser to the Interim Government Dr. Muhammad Yunus has called for a more effective South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Dr. Yunus made this call when SAARC Secretary General Golam Sarwar came to meet the Chief Adviser at Tejgaon, Dhaka, on Monday (December 2).

He told the SAARC Secretary General that SAARC is a forgotten word. If you can revive it, it will benefit the people of the entire region. At the time, the SAARC Secretary General thanked Dr. Yunus for being a big supporter of SAARC.

The Secretary General informed the Chief Adviser about the ongoing activities of SAARC. Which include the Programming Committee, Governing Body of Regional Centers and Specialized Agencies, Climate Change Events, SDGs, Regional Integration, Customs Cooperation, etc.

He said that due to the lack of high-level meetings, effective initiatives are not gaining momentum. Secretary General Sarwar said that we have partnerships with many organizations. We are trying to figure them out.

Dr. Yunus asked Secretary General Sarwar to work on multilateral issues like Nepal's hydropower exports to neighboring countries like Bangladesh, India and Bhutan. Professor Yunus invited young people from SAARC countries to attend the Youth Festival in Bangladesh in January.

He said that the whole idea of SAARC is to bring people together. This conference can be a way to open the doors of SAARC.