• Source:JND

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has temporarily suspended all consular and visa services, citing 'security concerns', according to reports in sections of the Bangladeshi media. The suspension will remain in force until further notice, the reports said.

The move came a day after a demonstration outside the mission by the Tipra Motha Party and other organisations, and on Sunday, Bangladesh's assistant high commission in the northeastern state of Tripura declared that visa services would be suspended. According to those who spoke on condition of anonymity, visa services provided by a private operator on behalf of Bangladesh in Siliguri, West Bengal, were also halted after a vandalism incident.

Notices issued by the missions in New Delhi and Agartala said all consular and visa services had been suspended until further notice because of “unavoidable circumstances”. The people said the staff of Bangladesh’s assistant high commission in Agartala were still in place.

MEA Dismisses ‘Misleading Propaganda’

Responding to media queries on Sunday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described reports suggesting a security breach as “misleading propaganda”. He clarified that the incident involved a limited and peaceful gathering that did not endanger the High Commission or its staff.

According to the MEA, around 20 to 25 youths briefly assembled outside the mission, raising slogans over the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district and demanding protection for minorities in the neighbouring country. “There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time,” Jaiswal said. He added that Delhi Police personnel present at the spot dispersed the group within minutes. Visuals of the protest, he noted, are publicly available and clearly show its peaceful nature.

The MEA also said that New Delhi is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Bangladesh amid widespread unrest following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Jaiswal confirmed that Indian authorities are in regular touch with their Bangladeshi counterparts. “We have conveyed our strong concerns over attacks on minorities and urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Dipu Chandra Das be brought to justice,” he said.

Bangladesh Calls Incident ‘Regrettable’

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a press release issued in Dhaka on December 21, termed the protest outside its High Commission residence in New Delhi as “highly regrettable”. It rejected the suggestion that its concerns amounted to misleading reporting.

ALSO READ: MEA Counters ‘Misleading Reports’, Dismisses ‘Propaganda’ Over Bangladesh High Commission Protest In New Delhi

The statement claimed that demonstrators were allowed to assemble “right outside the perimeters” of the mission, causing panic among staff. Dhaka also said it had not received any prior intimation about the protest. Bangladesh further rejected attempts to portray the killing of a Bangladeshi citizen “who happens to belong to the Hindu community” as an attack on minorities, asserting that suspects had been swiftly apprehended and that the country’s inter-communal situation remained under control.

The diplomatic exchange comes against the backdrop of escalating protests across Bangladesh. Indian visa operations at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chittagong have been suspended until further notice following a recent security incident at the Indian Assistant High Commission there.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh Unrest: Indian Visa Centre In Chittagong Shut Till Further Notice After Violent Protests

Protests have also been reported near Indian diplomatic premises in Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi, prompting India to lodge formal protests and tighten security at its missions. New Delhi has reiterated that it has never allowed its territory to be used for activities hostile to Bangladesh and has called for restraint and accountability on all sides.


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