The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala has announced the resumption of visa and consular services from February 5, ending a two-month suspension imposed after a security breach at the mission.
The services were halted on December 3, a day after a group of protesters stormed the mission premises in response to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka.
The incident led to the suspension of three police personnel responsible for security at the diplomatic office while Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commissioner in Agartala, Arif Mahamad, was summoned to Dhaka for discussions on the breach.
The protests were fueled by allegations that Chinmoy Krishna Das, a well-known spiritual leader in Bangladesh, had been wrongfully detained.
His arrest sparked outrage among Hindu groups in both Bangladesh and India, particularly in Tripura, where historical and cultural ties with Bangladesh remain strong. The demonstrators, some of whom managed to enter the mission premises, demanded his immediate release and accused the Bangladesh government of religious persecution.
Following the incident, security at the diplomatic office was reviewed, and authorities took strict action, including reinforcing personnel deployment. To ensure smooth operations, the Tripura Police and Border Security Force (BSF) have increased vigilance around the High Commission.
Despite the tensions, the mission has now resumed normal operations. “All visa and consular services of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission will resume on February 5,” Md Al Amin, First Secretary at the mission, confirmed in a notice issued on Tuesday.
Tripura, which shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, sees a significant number of visa applicants daily as many locals travel to Bangladesh for business, medical treatment, and cultural exchanges. The temporary closure had caused disruptions for those dependent on these services.
Tripura, for long, had deep historical ties with Bangladesh, dating back to the 1971 Liberation War, when the state served as a crucial refuge for millions of Bangladeshis fleeing the conflict.
In recent years, economic and cultural cooperation has grown, with Agartala serving as an important hub for cross-border trade and connectivity projects, including the India-Bangladesh Maitree Bridge.