 "Breach at Bangladesh mission in Agartala: What does international law say?")
India on Monday described a breach at the premises of the Bangladesh consulate in Agartala, by a group protesting the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in the neighbouring country, as "deeply regrettable".
Hours after protesters reportedly barged into the Bangladesh assistant high commission and allegedly resorted to vandalism, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. The MEA added that the government is beefing up security at the Bangladeshi missions in the country.
"The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable," the MEA said.
What happened in Agartala?
Thousands of people took out a demonstration near the Bangladeshi mission in Agartala, protesting the arrest of Das, as well as attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh, according to news agency reports.
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How is Bangladesh responding?
Agency reports on Monday indicated that the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi was lodging a protest over the breach at its Agartala mission.
In its statement in Dhaka, Bangladesh's foreign ministry said it "deeply resents" the "violent demonstration and attack by a large group of protesters of the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti" on the premises of the assistant high commission.
It went on to allege that the protesters were allowed to enter the premises by "breaking down the main gate", adding that the protesters "vandalised the flagpole, desecrated the national flag of Bangladesh and also damaged properties inside the assistant high commission".
The Bangladesh foreign ministry also alleged that local police "in charge of protecting the premises were found not to be active in containing the situation".
It added that the "attack" on the mission violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and called upon its Indian counterpart to initiate a "thorough investigation" into the incident, prevent any further acts of violence against Bangladesh's missions and ensure the security of Bangladeshi officials.
How has the MEA responded to the Agartala incident?
The MEA statement said that the government is taking action to increase security for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and other missions in India.
"Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances," it said.
What does international law say about the incident?
The Agartala incident would be covered under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), an international treaty that provides a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. The convention defines the rights, privileges, and immunities of diplomatic missions and their staff.
The Vienna Convention provides for diplomatic immunity, which ensures that diplomats are protected from prosecution under the host country's laws while carrying out official duties, and the inviolability of premises, which means that the premises of a diplomatic mission are inviolable and cannot be entered without consent.
Article 22 of the convention says that the premises of a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, cannot be entered by agents of the host country without explicit consent from the head of the mission. The host country is also required to protect the mission premises against any intrusion, damage, or impairment of dignity. Furthermore, the premises of the mission, along with its property, furnishings, and means of transport, are immune from search, requisition, attachment, or execution.
Have there been other incidents of breaches at diplomatic missions?
Despite the protections enshrined in the Vienna Convention, there have indeed been notable instances where diplomatic missions have been breached:
Iranian Hostage Crisis: In the wake of the revolution against the pro-American Shah of Iran, the United States (US) Embassy in Tehran became a target of one such breach. On November 4, 1979, Iranian students seized the embassy and detained over 50 Americans, ranging from the Chargé d’Affaires to the most junior members of the staff, as hostages. The Iranians held the American diplomats hostage for 444 days.
2012 Attack on US Consulate in Benghazi: The Benghazi incident was a coordinated attack against two US facilities in Benghazi, Libya. The attacks were carried out by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia. On September 11, Ansar al-Sharia members attacked the US diplomatic compound in Benghazi, resulting in the deaths of Ambassador J Christopher Stevens and a US foreign service information management officer. On September 12, the group launched an attack against a nearby Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) annex, killing two CIA contractors.
March 2023 attack on Indian High Commission in London: On March 22, over 2,000 pro-Khalistani supporters vandalised the high commission buildings, throwing articles, including ink, to deface it. Three days before that, a mob had pulled down the Indian flag in an attack in which some embassy staffers were also injured. The attack was allegedly carried out by UK-based Khalistan Liberation Force leader Avtar Singh Khanda, who later died in a UK hospital in June 2023.
What is the background to the Agartala incident?
On Friday, India said that the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. India also expressed serious concern over the "surge" of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
New Delhi also expressed hope that the case relating to Das, arrested on a charge of sedition, will be dealt with in a just, fair and transparent manner.
Das was arrested in Dhaka in connection with a sedition case.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have come under strain after the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus came to power following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August.
Since then, New Delhi has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in the neighbouring country.
(With agency input)