Protests outside the Bangladeshi High Commission in India, Bangladesh outraged

New Delhi – Devout nationalists staged a protest outside the Bangladeshi High Commission here to condemn the murder of Hindu youth Deepu Chandra Das in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has claimed that ‘this protest endangered the security of the Bangladeshi High Commission in India.’ Bangladesh alleged that the protesters demonstrated very close to the High Commission and that the High Commission was not given prior notice about the protest. Bangladesh also stated that the Indian Government is committed to ensuring the security of all Bangladeshi diplomatic offices in India.

1. The spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, clarified that the number of people participating in the protest was very small and it was conducted peacefully. Therefore, there was no threat to the security of the Bangladeshi High Commission. Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor, M. Tauhid Hossain, said that India did not take this protest seriously.

2. Jaiswal said that misleading information about this incident is being circulated in some Bangladeshi media outlets.

3. Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Hossain asked how a group of 25-30 people managed to reach such a secure diplomatic area. Under normal circumstances, one cannot reach there without permission.

4. Hossain also stated that the protesters did not merely chant slogans against the murder of Deepu Das, but also raised other slogans.

Editorial Perspectives

• Why is the interim Government of Bangladesh not speaking about the attack on the Indian embassy in Bangladesh by Bangladeshi citizens a few days ago ?
• India needs to respond to increasingly arrogant Bangladesh in a language it would understand.