Stop atrocities against Hindus in B’desh and disrespecting Tricolour: Tripura Muslim body

The Tripura Gousia Samiti, a Muslim socio-religious organisation in the northeastern state, on Thursday demanded the ending of atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and disrespect to the Indian national flag.

A nine-member delegation of Tripura Gousia Samiti on Thursday met the Additional District Magistrate, West Tripura district and submitted a memorandum addressing the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner in Agartala demanding to stop atrocities on Hindu and other minorities in the neighbouring country.

After submitting the memorandum to the ADM, Tripura Gousia Samiti President Abdul Barik said that they are worriedly witnessing the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh for the past several months.

“People belonging to Sanatan Hindu Dharma and other minorities are being oppressed and attacked in Bangladesh. Properties of the minorities are being burnt, vandalized and damaged. These are unacceptable," Barik told the media.

Severely condemning the desecration of the Indian national flag, the Samiti in their memorandum said that being Indian they were deeply disheartened after witnessing through various social media about the utter disrespect to the Indian tricolour in Bangladesh.

“We want an immediate stop to such violent actions and incidents and punishment to the perpetrators," the organisation said and demanded protection of the properties of the Hindu community and other minorities.

Meanwhile, besides providing adequate security in and around the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission (AHC) office in Agartala, the Tripura Police keep an extra alert in dealing with the protests and agitations against the atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country.

The Bangladesh AHC since Tuesday suspended all visa and consular services for an indefinite period citing security reasons.

The Bangladesh AHC’s head of mission and First Secretary Aal Amin a notice had said: “Given the security situation, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala will remain suspended until further notice. This comes into effect immediately.”

The Bangladesh AHC’s decision comes after the breach of security at the mission during a protest by an organisation against the atrocities on Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country.

West Tripura District Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar K suspended three Sub-Inspector of police -- Dilu Jamatia, Debabrata Sinha, and Joynal Hossain -- and Assistant Commandant (a DSP rank officer) Kanti Nath Ghosh was withdrawn from his posting due to their negligence of duty during the protests on December 2.

An official said that during the protest a delegation of 'Hindu Sangharsh Samiti' met the officials of AHC and submitted a memorandum to them, urging the caretaker government of Bangladesh to stop atrocities on the Hindu community and protect their lives and properties.

During this time some activists forcefully entered the complex of the AHC and reportedly “desecrated” the Bangladesh national flag and the police drove out the protesters immediately.

Police also arrested seven persons in connection with the breach of security at the Bangladesh AHC office.

The official said the state government has also ordered an inquiry into Monday's incident and the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Southern Range, would conduct the probe.