BNP submits memorandum to Indian mission over breach of B’desh consulate

Dhaka, Dec 8: Three wings of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former premier Khaleda Zia on Sunday held a protest march and submitted a memorandum to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, slamming the alleged vandalism at the country’s consulate in Agartala.
India last week described as “deeply regrettable” the incident of the breach of the premises of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura by a group of people protesting the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.
On Sunday, a group of protesters carrying banners of the BNP’s student, youth and voluntary wings marched towards the high commission at Baridhara diplomatic enclave starting from the party’s Naya Paltan central office in the central part of the capital.
But police stopped them at the Rampura area, miles ahead of the mission.
A six-member delegation of the protesters was allowed to go to the Indian High Commission to submit a memorandum.
The six leaders of the three BNP wings included Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Nurul Islam Noyon, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin, and Swechchasebak Dal President SM Jilani and General Secretary Rajib Ahsan, local media reported.
The team handed over the memorandum to an official of the Indian High Commission.
Ahead of the start of the march, BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi addressed the protestors, who chanted slogans calling for boycotting Indian goods and extradition of deposed premier Sheikh Hasina from India.
The decision to hold the march was announced through a statement on Saturday, prompting law enforcement agencies to intensify security in the capital and around the diplomatic enclave.
‘Optimistic about resolving ties with India’
Bangladesh and India will be able to overcome the stalemate in the relationship witnessed in recent months, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said here on Sunday.
His comments came ahead of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Bangladesh on Monday during which he is likely to raise with Dhaka India’s concerns over attacks on Hindus after a massive uprising ended deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule in August.
This will be the first visit to be made by a senior Indian government official to Bangladesh since the interim government came to power on August 8.
“We expect that we will be able to overcome this impasse. Establishing mutual communication and meeting each other is very important to overcome any such stalemate,” Hossain told a seminar titled ‘SAARC – People of South Asia Crave’ at the National Press Club.
“I hope they (foreign secretaries) will have a fruitful discussion,” he said.
He noted that it is important to acknowledge that there is a problem if they want to solve any problem. (PTI)