B’desh cancels ministers’ India trips due to anti-CAA protests

0
69
Guwahati: Angry protesters burn tires and write "No CAB" with white chalk on a street as Assam witnesses widespread violence over the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019; in Guwahati on Dec 12, 2019. Guwahati has become an epicentre of the anti-CAB protests, prompting the Assam government to place the city under an indefinite curfew.

Dhaka,  Bangladesh has demanded heightened security for its mission in India’s Assam state capital Guwahati following two subsequent attacks, and cancelled two ministers’ trips to India amid violent protests there over a contentious citizenship bill.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday summoned Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das and protested against the attack on the convoy of Bangladeshi assistant high commissioner and vandalism of the Bangladesh mission in Guwahati, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement said Bangladesh, however, “believes that the attack on the convoy of the Assistant High Commissioner and vandalization of the signposts is a one-off incident and it will not affect the excellent bilateral relations that Bangladesh and India enjoy.”

The incidents took place as violent protests are underway over the adoptation of the citizenship amendment bill by the Indian parliament.

Against this backdrop, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal Thursday cancelled their scheduled trip to India.