New Delhi: India on Wednesday sharply escalated its response to deteriorating security conditions in Bangladesh by summoning Dhaka’s envoy, lodging a strong diplomatic protest, and temporarily shutting down an Indian visa application centre in the Bangladeshi capital. The moves came after a radical organisation staged a protest near the High Commission of India in Dhaka, raising serious concerns over the safety of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi has formally asked Bangladesh’s interim government to ensure the security of India’s missions and posts in line with its obligations under international diplomatic conventions. The situation has further strained bilateral relations at a time when political tensions in Bangladesh remain high following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Envoy summoned, strong concerns conveyed
Riaz Hamidullah, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, was summoned to the MEA headquarters in New Delhi, where senior Indian officials conveyed “strong concerns” over the worsening security environment in Bangladesh. According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, India drew the envoy’s attention to the activities of extremist elements that had announced plans to create a security situation around the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
India stressed that the safety of its diplomatic missions is a non-negotiable obligation under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and must be ensured by the host government at all times.
Visa services suspended in Dhaka
Citing the “ongoing security situation”, India shut down the Indian Visa Application Centre located at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka from 2 pm local time on Wednesday. Officials said the suspension was a precautionary step aimed at protecting applicants and staff amid the prevailing uncertainty.
The MEA underlined that India shares close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, rooted in the 1971 liberation struggle and strengthened through decades of development cooperation and people-to-people ties. However, it made clear that security concerns cannot be ignored.
Protest by radical group near Indian mission
The diplomatic standoff follows a protest march by a radical organisation calling itself “July Oikya Mancha”, which gathered near the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. The group demanded that India hand over Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since her removal from office, as well as Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, the former interior minister of the Awami League government.
The protestors accused India of interfering in Bangladesh’s internal political affairs. The demonstration came close on the heels of an attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, a right-wing student leader, on December 12, further heightening political tensions in the country.
Political backdrop and Hasina verdict
Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have worsened sharply in recent weeks, coinciding with the 54th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh. The interim government in Dhaka, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of downplaying the role of Bangladesh’s “Muktijoddhas”, or liberation fighters, while highlighting the role of Indian armed forces.
Adding to the complexity, a court in Dhaka on November 17 awarded the death sentence to Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for alleged “crimes against humanity” linked to a police crackdown on students and youth protesters during the July–August 2024 agitation against reservations in government jobs. The agitation ultimately led to the fall of the Awami League government.
Diplomatic exchanges intensify
Following the attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders of orchestrating terrorist activities in Bangladesh from Indian territory. Dhaka alleged that Indian soil was being used for actions detrimental to Bangladesh’s national interests.
On December 14, Pranay Verma, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was summoned by Dhaka’s foreign ministry, which conveyed its “serious concern” over Sheikh Hasina’s continued public statements. According to Bangladesh’s interim government, these statements allegedly encouraged violence and aimed to destabilise the country ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026.
India has firmly rejected these allegations. “India completely rejects the false narrative sought to be created by extremist elements regarding certain recent events in Bangladesh,” the MEA said, adding that it was unfortunate the interim government had neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared credible evidence with New Delhi.
Inflammatory remarks add to tensions
Further aggravating the situation were recent remarks by Mahfuj Alam, a student leader who played a key role in the July–August 2024 agitation and is now a member of Muhammad Yunus’s council of advisers. Alam warned that Bangladesh would not tolerate “terrorism being exported from India” and issued a veiled threat of retaliation.
Separately, Hasnat Abdullah, leader of Bangladesh’s National Citizen Party, described India as a hostile country and made controversial comments about severing India’s northeastern states from the rest of the country. These remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Indian officials and analysts, who view them as inflammatory and irresponsible.
Conclusion
The closure of the visa centre in Dhaka and the summoning of Bangladesh’s envoy mark a significant escalation in India’s response to the current crisis. While New Delhi has reiterated its commitment to strong people-to-people ties with Bangladesh, it has made it clear that threats to the safety of its diplomatic missions will be met with firm action. As political uncertainty continues in Bangladesh, both sides face the challenge of preventing further deterioration in a relationship that has historically been strategic and deeply intertwined.