Bangladesh unrest: Delhi Police increase security around Bangladesh High Commission in national capital

A day after protestors entered the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala, Delhi Police have increased security measures around the Bangladesh High Commission in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. Officials have reported that additional police personnel have been deployed to the area to prevent any gatherings near the commission premises. A senior police officer said the security has been heightened to ensure the safety of the commission, and we are actively monitoring the area to prevent any potential disturbances.

With the winter session of Parliament currently in progress, Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is being enforced in central Delhi, prohibiting the assembly of five or more individuals, as confirmed by the officer.

In Agartala, Tripura, a large demonstration took place near the Bangladeshi mission on Monday, where thousands of people protested against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das and the recent attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

According to reports, protesters forcefully entered the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh and purportedly engaged in acts of vandalism. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its deep regret over the incident. The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi is expected to file a formal protest regarding the breach at its mission in Agartala.

The attacks on minorities in the neighbouring country have been condemned by the Indian government, which has urged the government to take necessary measures to ensure their protection. Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has spoken out, stating that Das was apprehended without due cause. 

The bail hearing for Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh has been postponed to next month as no lawyer showed up in court for the hearing on Tuesday. The Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote has accused that around 70 Hindu lawyers were falsely sued in an attempt to prevent their participation in the bail hearing for their representative. Earlier, ISKCON reported that a Bangladeshi lawyer defending the Hindu monk was viciously attacked at his home by Islamists and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit.

Das was taken into custody at Dhaka airport on November 25 for alleged sedition. He stands accused of raising a religious flag above the Bangladesh national flag at a rally in Chittagong. Following his arrest, reports have indicated an increase in unrest within the country, including attacks on numerous Hindu temples and community members.

On Monday, Radharaman Das, the spokesperson for ISKCON Kolkata, issued a statement on X, requesting prayers for Advocate Ramen Roy. Advocate Roy was viciously attacked after defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. As a result of this assault by Islamists, he is currently hospitalized in the ICU, battling for his life, Das said.

Last month, there were reports circulating on social media and some news sources alleging that a lawyer representing Chinmoy Krishna Das had been murdered. However, further investigation disclosed that the victim, Saiful Islam, was an assistant public prosecutor and was not involved in defending Chinmoy Das.

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari currently serves as a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote. He was taken into custody following demonstrations by the Hindu community in Rangpur, advocating for increased legal safeguards for minority populations. After his bail application was denied on November 26, confrontations broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement outside the Chattogram court, leading to the tragic death of Advocate Saiful Islam Alif.

(With PTI inputs)