Bangladesh envoy to meet Mamata Banerjee amid cultural row and border tensions
According to diplomatic sources in Dhaka, the High Commissioner will brief the Chief Minister on what Bangladesh views as the “actual context” of the incident
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah, is set to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, the state's administrative headquarters, on Monday afternoon.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of recent tensions, particularly surrounding the vandalism of the historic Kachari House in Sirajganj — a site with deep cultural ties to Rabindranath Tagore, reports the New Indian Express.
According to diplomatic sources in Dhaka, the High Commissioner will brief the Chief Minister on what Bangladesh views as the "actual context" of the incident.
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The Government of Bangladesh has maintained that the vandalism was an isolated act of local mischief, unrelated to any political or religious provocation. This position is expected to be conveyed formally during the meeting.
The Kachari House incident drew attention in India after Mamata Banerjee wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for engagement with Bangladesh to ensure a thorough investigation. She referred to the matter as one of international cultural sensitivity.
Bangladesh, while recognizing the symbolic importance of the site linked to the Nobel Laureate, has called for the issue to be viewed through a factual and non-political lens.
Officials in Dhaka have reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the country's diverse heritage and maintaining law and order at sensitive locations.
This marks the first meeting between a Bangladesh High Commissioner and the West Bengal Chief Minister in nine years. The last such engagement occurred in 2016, when then-High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali held talks with Banerjee.
Efforts by subsequent envoys, including Muhammad Imran and Mustafizur Rahman, to arrange similar meetings were unsuccessful.
The meeting is also expected to touch on broader issues in Bangladesh-India relations, particularly concerns arising from border tensions and reports of attempts to identify and deport undocumented Bangladeshi nationals from India.
The 2,217-kilometre shared border with West Bengal remains a critical zone for bilateral cooperation, trade, and people-to-people ties. Sources indicate that the High Commissioner may propose dialogue on making the border "more humane, cooperative, peaceful, and economically productive," in line with Bangladesh's longstanding emphasis on regional stability and constructive engagement.
The meeting underscores Dhaka's continued effort to preserve strong ties with India's eastern neighbor while addressing concerns through direct diplomatic channels.
