English
English
English
Visa centres shut, protests near Indian missions, and a Bangladeshi envoy summoned by New Delhi- fresh developments have pushed India-Bangladesh ties into a tense phase. What sparked the unrest, and how deep does the fallout go?
Visa centres have reportedly been shut down in Bangladesh
New Delhi: Relations between India and Bangladesh have come under renewed strain following the temporary closure of Indian visa application centres in Bangladesh and the summoning of the Bangladeshi High Commissioner by New Delhi.
These developments come amid growing security concerns and protests linked to political unrest in Bangladesh, further complicating already sensitive bilateral ties.
India has temporarily shut two of its visa application centres in Bangladesh, located in Khulna and Rajshahi, after protests erupted in both cities. An official from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka confirmed that the closures were prompted by a deteriorating security situation.
Amid Bangladesh violence, India shuts down visa application centre in Dhaka
“Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down,” the official said, adding that operations at the visa application centre in Dhaka have since resumed. The move is seen as a precautionary step to ensure the safety of Indian personnel and facilities.
In Rajshahi, a protest march organised by a group called ‘July 36 Mancha’ attempted to move towards the Indian Assistant High Commission. According to PTI, the march began from Bhadra Mor around 12:30 pm local time but was halted by police roughly 100 metres before the mission office.
Security personnel erected barricades to stop the procession, after which protesters staged a sit-in demonstration, demanding permission to proceed. Similar protests were reported in Khulna on the same day. Authorities intervened in both cases to prevent demonstrators from reaching Indian diplomatic premises.
Earlier, Dhaka police also stopped another group of protesters marching towards the Indian High Commission in the capital’s Gulshan area.
Against this backdrop, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah on Wednesday to convey strong concerns over the worsening security environment in Bangladesh. The MEA underscored the responsibility of the interim government in Dhaka to ensure the safety of foreign diplomatic missions.
“We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of missions and posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations,” the MEA said in an official statement.
India summons Bangladesh High Commissioner over security concerns; Click for details
According to officials familiar with the matter, one of the key triggers for the diplomatic démarche was a controversial speech by Hasnat Abdullah, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP). Abdullah reportedly claimed that Bangladesh could shelter separatist forces from India and cut off the country’s seven northeastern states remarks that raised serious alarm in New Delhi.
Tensions have also been heightened by India’s decision to provide shelter to former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following last year’s July uprising. Several protests in Bangladesh have demanded her return, making India a focal point of domestic political anger.
As protests continue and political rhetoric sharpens, both countries face the challenge of managing diplomatic sensitivities while ensuring the security of missions and maintaining long-standing bilateral cooperation.
