The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday (December 3) amid rising tensions between the two nations.
Verma arrived at the ministry around 4 pm to meet Bangladesh’s acting foreign secretary Riaz Hamidullah, United News of Bangladesh reported.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Verma called it a “part of normal regular exchanges”.
“I came as part of our normal regular exchanges. I keep coming to the foreign office. This is [a] very important relationship for us and this is something we keep talking about. We have such wide ranging relationship, multi-faceted relationship and as I have said you cannot reduce it to one issue or one agenda. We are working across so many issues and we really [need] to build [a] positive, stable, constructive relationship moving forward. There are so many things we are doing, there are so many interdependencies that we have and we want to build on those inter-dependencies to mutual benefit. And we will keep ensuring that our co-operations benefit our people [of both the countries],” Verma said.
He added: “The number of positive developments that have taken place in our relationship in the last few months whether it is trade, it is power transmission, supply of essential commodities, we have maintained lot of positive momentum in the relationship. We are willing to engage with the interim government of Bangladesh and we are interested in working with the government of Bangladesh to fulfil our shared aspirations for peace, security and development.”
The move comes after Bangladesh authorities expressed strong resentment over an attack on the premises of the assistant high commission of Bangladesh in Agartala and called it a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961.
“As it is the responsibility of the host government to protect the diplomatic missions from any form of intrusion or damage, the government of Bangladesh calls upon the government of India to take immediate action to address this incident, to undertake a thorough investigation into the incident and to prevent any further acts of violence against the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh in India, including the safety and security of the diplomats and the non-diplomatic members of staff and members of their families,” Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said.
The attack, carried out by a large group of protesters from the Hindu Sangharsh Samity, was condemned by India’s External Affairs Ministry as a “deeply regrettable” act. “Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances,” India said in a statement.
Also read: Bangladesh Cites Violation Of International Law After Mob Vandalises Diplomatic Mission in Agartala
The ministry stated that the government was “taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi and their deputy/assistant high commissions in the country.”
As per The Indian Express report, Tripura police has arrested seven people and suspended three police officers for vandalising property and removing the Bangladeshi national flag.
India-Bangladesh relations have been strained since August 5, when former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted and an interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus took over. Tensions escalated as India accused Bangladesh of systematic attacks on Hindus, while the interim government insisted it was taking measures to protect them, accusing India of exaggerating the situation.