Staff Reporter :
The Government of Bangladesh has strongly condemned the desecration of its national flag and the burning of an effigy of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during a violent protest in Kolkata, India, on Thursday.
In a statement issued on Friday, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the Indian government to take immediate action to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure the safety and security of its diplomatic missions and personnel in India.
The protest, organised by a Hindu group named Bongio Hindu Jagran, escalated outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Thursday afternoon.
According to the statement, demonstrators
breached police barricades and reached the boundary of the diplomatic premises, where they burned the national flag of Bangladesh and an effigy of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
“The violent protest created a sense of insecurity among all members of the Deputy High Commission,” the statement noted, adding that while the situation has since been brought under control, tensions remain high.
The Bangladesh government emphasised its commitment to peaceful and diplomatic relations, condemning any form of violence.
It urged the Indian government to ensure the safety of its Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, as well as other Bangladeshi diplomatic missions and personnel in India.
“Bangladesh condemns these deplorable acts and calls on India to take necessary steps to prevent such incidents in the future,” the statement added.
The protest in Kolkata follows heightened tensions in recent weeks regarding religious and political issues in Bangladesh, with certain groups in India expressing concerns about the treatment of minorities in the neighbouring country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the importance of safeguarding diplomatic missions and ensuring that incidents like this do not disrupt the friendly relations between the two nations.
As of now, neither the Indian government nor the organisers of the protest have issued an official response to the incident.
