Bangladesh has strongly objected to comments made by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding its internal affairs, according to sources. Dhaka has communicated its concerns to the High Commission of India, stating that Ms. Banerjee’s remarks over the weekend were provocative and contained inaccuracies about Bangladesh’s internal matters. Dhaka emphasized that they are working towards restoring normalcy and claimed that the Chief Minister’s comments about the deaths of students were misleading.
Amid ongoing violence in Bangladesh, Ms. Banerjee expressed solidarity by suggesting that her state would offer shelter to people in distress from the neighboring country. She cited the United Nations Resolution on refugees to justify her stance.
“I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh since that is a sovereign nation, and whatever needs to be said on the issue is a subject matter of the Centre. But I can tell you this, if helpless people come knocking on the doors of Bengal, we will surely provide them shelter,” she said during her party’s “Martyrs Day” rally in Kolkata.
Sources indicated that Dhaka pointed out that the situation Ms. Banerjee referred to regarding the United Nations Resolution does not apply to Bangladesh. Additionally, they expressed concern that such comments, particularly the assurance of providing refuge, could provoke many people. They warned that terrorists and miscreants might exploit such an announcement.
The violence in Bangladesh has resulted in the deaths of more than 60 people as student protests over reservation in government jobs turned violent. Hundreds of Indian students in Bangladesh returned home as the situation worsened. On Friday, the Bangladesh government imposed an overnight curfew. At least eight districts were affected by the violence, with students blocking roads and railway lines and clashing with the police.
