BREAKING: Visa Services Suspended at Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala

New Delhi: All visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala have been suspended indefinitely, according to an official announcement. “Given the security situation, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala will remain suspended until further notice. This comes into effect immediately. This is for intimation of all the Visa and Consular service seekers”, the notification read. 

This came hours after thousands of people took out a massive rally near the Bangladeshi mission in the capital city of Tripura protesting the arrest of ISKCON priest Chinmoy Prabhu in Bangladesh as well as attacks on the Hindu community in that country.   

India had described as "deeply regrettable" an incident of breach of the premises of Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala by a group of people protesting against the arrest of the Hindu monk Chinmoy Prabhu in the neighbouring country.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances and that the government is beefing up security at the Bangladeshi missions in India following the incident.

It is learnt that over 50 protesters reportedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala, triggering concerns among the officials at the complex.

It is understood that the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi is lodging a protest over the "breach" at its mission in Agartala.

In its statement, the MEA said the government is taking action to step up security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions of the country in India. "Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances," it said.

"The government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their deputy/assistant high commissions in the country," it said.

India had on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the "surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.

New Delhi also hoped that the case relating to Das, arrested on a charge of sedition, will be dealt with in a just, fair and transparent manner.

Chinmoy Prabhu was arrested at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday last in connection with a sedition case