New Delhi – India and Bangladesh engaged in a diplomatic exchange on Tuesday as both nations summoned each other’s envoys to lodge protests over recent incidents that have significantly impacted bilateral relations. The development of Bangladesh Envoy Summoned underscore fresh tensions between the two neighbors, further straining ties already at an all-time low following months of deteriorating relations.
Morning Summons in Dhaka
Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma was summoned to the foreign ministry in Dhaka during the morning hours by foreign secretary Asad Alam Siam. The summons came as a protest against what Bangladesh termed regrettable incidents outside the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi and the vandalization of a visa centre in Siliguri.
This marked the second time in just 10 days that the Indian envoy was called to the foreign ministry in Dhaka to receive a formal protest, highlighting the escalating nature of diplomatic friction between the two South Asian neighbors.
India Summons Bangladesh Envoy
In a reciprocal move, the Bangladesh envoy Riaz Hamidullah was called in by B Shyam, the joint secretary who heads the Bangladesh-Myanmar division of the external affairs ministry, late in the evening. The Bangladesh envoy was informed of India’s demand for a proper investigation into the recent killing of Bangladeshi radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
People familiar with the matter emphasized that instead of jumping the gun and blaming India for Hadi’s death, there should be a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators. The unsubstantiated allegations about an Indian hand in Hadi’s killing had triggered anti-India protests in Bangladesh, including an attempt by a mob to storm the Indian assistant high commission in Chittagong last week.
Bangladesh’s Formal Protest
A readout issued in Dhaka revealed that the foreign ministry conveyed its grave concern to the Indian high commissioner over regrettable incidents outside the perimeter of the Bangladesh high commission and residence in New Delhi on December 20. Additionally, acts of vandalism at the Bangladesh visa centre in Siliguri on December 22 by extremist elements were strongly condemned.
Bangladesh also expressed deep concern over violent protests staged outside the premises of different diplomatic missions in India. The Bangladesh envoy’s government sought assurances regarding the protection of its diplomatic facilities and personnel on Indian soil.
India’s Position on Protest Equivalence
Indian officials stressed that there could be no equivalence between the violent protest outside India’s assistant high commission in Chittagong on December 18 and the protests outside Bangladesh’s diplomatic facilities in India. A senior official explained that in New Delhi, protesters were stopped more than 500 meters away from the Bangladeshi mission with heightened security measures in place.
In contrast, during the Chittagong incident, protesters came right up to the Indian mission, and petrol bombs and stones were thrown at the facility. This distinction was crucial in India’s response when addressing concerns raised by the Bangladesh envoy.
Protests Over Hindu Man’s Lynching
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal announced protests outside the Bangladeshi mission on Tuesday over the recent lynching of a Hindu man named Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh. Das, a garment factory worker, was beaten to death, and his body was tied to a tree and burnt in a horrific incident that sparked outrage across India.
A large police contingent was deployed near the Bangladeshi mission on Tuesday morning. Security personnel stopped protesters with barricades more than 500 meters away and later transported them in buses from the spot. No untoward incidents were reported during the demonstration, despite the charged atmosphere.
Competing Narratives on Security
Following protests outside the Bangladesh high commission over Das’s killing late on Saturday night, India dismissed reports of a security breach at the mission as misleading propaganda. India expressed concern at the horrendous killing of the Hindu man and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
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However, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry contested India’s description of the incident outside its mission in New Delhi. The Bangladesh envoy’s government stated that an isolated attack on a Bangladeshi Hindu man should not be depicted as an attack on minorities, revealing differing interpretations of the situation.
Hadi Investigation Demands
Protests were organized near India’s missions in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, and Rajshahi last week after some of Bangladesh’s student leaders and politicians claimed Hadi’s killers had sneaked into India. However, Bangladesh Police announced over the weekend that the whereabouts of the assailants remain unknown.
The Bangladesh envoy was specifically told that proper investigative procedures should be followed rather than making premature accusations against India without evidence.
Visa Services Suspended
The diplomatic tensions have resulted in practical consequences for citizens of both nations. Bangladesh has suspended visa services at its missions in New Delhi and Agartala and at the visa centre in Siliguri. India has suspended visa services only at the mission in Chittagong, reflecting the targeted nature of the diplomatic responses.
Government Response to Das Killing
Bangladesh’s caretaker administration leader Muhammad Yunus expressed profound sorrow over the killing of Das and extended condolences to his family. The de facto education minister CR Abrar visited Das’s family in Mymensingh to convey government sympathy and assurance of support.
Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies have arrested 12 people in connection with Das’s lynching, and the interim government has directed that the case be pursued fully and without exception, demonstrating action following India’s concerns raised with the Bangladesh envoy.
