India intends to maintain friendly relation with Bangladesh: Pranay Verma
Published: 03 December 2024, 10:42:25
Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma has said his country is willing to maintain friendly relations with Bangladesh.
“India is willing to work with the present interim government in Bangladesh for materializing mutual hopes and aspirations, and for promoting peace, security and development between the two countries,” the Indian High Commissioner said after coming out of a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier, a protest letter was handed over to High Commissioner Pranay Verma summoning him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the attack on Bangladesh mission in Agartala, the capital city of the north eastern state of Tripura.
The High Commissioner reached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka before 4:00pm. Following a half hour long meeting with Acting Foreign Secretary Reaz Hamidullah, the protest letter was handed over the Indian High Commissioner, it is learnt.
After coming out of the meeting, Pranay Verma told reporters that India wants to work with the interim government. “We’ll maintain friendly relations.”
The envoy further said Bangladesh-India relation is multi-dimensional. “The relation between the two countries would not come to a halt over any particular issue. We are willing to expand contacts between the peoples of two countries,” he said.
Earlier on Monday (December 2), more than 100 extremist Hindu protesters entered the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Agartala breaking its gates, vandalized the premises in presence of police and forcibly removed the Bangladeshi national flag.
The Ministry of External Affairs of India, in a statement, termed the incident sorrowful and said that diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances.
Three sub-inspectors were suspended and a deputy superintendent of police was closed and instructed to report to the police headquarters for their alleged negligence.
A suo-motu case was registered with the New Capital Complex (NCC) Police Station over the incident.
Seven persons have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the incident, according to news of some Indian news portals.
Earlier on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for deploying UN peacekeeping forces in Bangladesh and demanded Indian Premier Narendra Modi’s personal intervention to ensure the safety of religious minorities.
In response, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed made a counter call urging the interim government to seek assistance from the United Nations peacekeeping forces to ensure the security of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala.
