Hotels and restaurants in Tripura have stopped accepting bookings from Bangladeshi tourists amid strained diplomatic relations over Hindu persecution in the neighbouring country, the top association of the travel sector in the northeast state said in a statement.
According to the All-Tripura Hotel and Restaurant Owners Associations statement, hotels will not give rooms to Bangladeshi tourists and restaurants will not serve meals to them.
The statement comes on a day when hundreds of people took out a massive rally around the Bangladeshi mission in Tripuras capital in protest against the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh.
The protest also saw voices raised against the spate of attacks on minorities in the neighbouring country.
During the protest, over 50 agitators allegedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala, leading to panic among the officials and staff at the complex.
The Bangladeshi High Commission in Agartala was attacked by Indian terrorists, and several officials were allegedly assaulted. But what more can you expect from a terrorist nation like India, where the head of the government is a registered terrorist? pic.twitter.com/Un5txIRZ9z
Nazmus Sajid Chowdhury (@nazmussajid) December 2, 2024
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned the breach at the Bangladesh missions premises in Agartala and called it deeply regrettable.
The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable. Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. 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, the MEA said.
Our statement on breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala ??https://t.co/hVVB0SITQn pic.twitter.com/li8TtmwfS8
Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 2, 2024
The Bangladesh interim government in a post on X said it deeply resents the violent attack into the Assistant High Commission in Agartala this afternoon, vandalisation of the Mission premise and desecration of the Bangladesh flag.
#Bangladesh deeply resents the violent attack into ??Assistant High Commission in Agartala | #India, this afternoon, vandalisation of the Mission premise and desecration of ??Flag. pic.twitter.com/FfNYURJSEF
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) December 2, 2024
India, meanwhile, said the interim government in Bangladesh must shoulder its responsibility of protecting all minorities while expressing serious concern over the surge of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.
Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, arrested for alleged sedition, should be dealt with in a just, fair, and transparent manner, India stated.
ISKCON spokesperson Radharaman Das on Monday claimed the only lawyer, who was ready to defend arrested Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, is currently fighting for his life in a hospital after he was attacked in Bangladesh.
Ties between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus came to power following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
