India summoned Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner, Nural Islam, on Monday, following a similar move by Dhaka the previous day when they summoned India’s High Commissioner, Pranay Verma. This exchange comes amid rising diplomatic tensions over border security issues.
According to reports, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry expressed concerns to India’s envoy in Dhaka regarding the activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the Bangladesh-India border. In a statement, Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin discussed the matter with High Commissioner Pranay Verma on Sunday, voicing Bangladesh’s deep concerns.
Following this, Pranay Verma clarified India’s position on border security, stating that India is committed to ensuring a crime-free border and tackling challenges like smuggling, criminal activities, and trafficking. Verma emphasized cooperation between the Indian BSF and Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), asserting that both forces had been in communication and would continue to work together in a cooperative approach.
Tensions between the two nations have escalated recently, with Bangladesh alleging that India is attempting to construct fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangladesh border, which they claim violates a bilateral agreement.
Compounding the situation, political instability in Bangladesh has added to the strain. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s sudden exit from the country and her stay in India has been coupled with reported violence against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, including attacks on temples and properties. Despite this, the Bangladesh government has downplayed the incidents as political rather than communal.
This ongoing dispute reflects a broader trend of heightened tensions between the two countries, with both sides seeking to address security and political issues through diplomatic channels.