Tensions Between India and Bangladesh Rises As Protests

After rallies and counter-protests over the alleged mistreatment of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, a verbal spat between the country and its neighbor, India, is threatening to get out of hand.

After former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh in August following a public uprising, diplomatic ties between the neighbors and erstwhile close allies have been tense (she is currently in India).

The most recent catalyst was the arrest of a Hindu monk last week, which sparked demonstrations in India by lawmakers and activists from Hindu organizations, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a humiliating move for India, dozens of demonstrators broke into and damaged the Bangladeshi consulate building in the northeastern city of Agartala on Monday.

Hundreds of activists and students demonstrated against the consulate’s storming in Dhaka a few hours later.

The Indian government has described the incident as “deeply regrettable” and distanced itself from it.

“Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances,” India’s foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that it was strengthening security for Bangladesh’s diplomatic establishments there. Seven persons have been taken into custody by police in relation to the incident.

Dhaka, however, is furious.

The attack was labeled “heinous” by the Bangladeshi foreign ministry, which also urged Delhi to conduct a comprehensive inquiry and “to prevent any further acts of violence against the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh.”

“It is a very regrettable and unacceptable scenario. After breaking in, Hindu radicals desecrated the [Bangladeshi] flag and took down the flag stand. The BBC was told by Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh, that “our officers and other staff were extremely scared.”

Disinformation and inflammatory coverage of the topic by various Indian media outlets, according to Bangladeshi officials, are to blame for the protests in India, some of which have taken place close to the country’s border.

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