India has shut down two visa application centres in Bangladesh amid protests, as New Delhi steps up diplomatic pressure over what it says is a deteriorating security situation in the neighbouring country. The developments come at a sensitive moment in bilateral ties, already under strain after India provided shelter to ousted former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The visa centres that have been closed are located in Khulna and Rajshahi. An official of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said the decision was taken following protests in both cities on Thursday. “Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down,” the official told ANI.
Protests in Rajshahi, Khulna trigger closures
While operations were suspended in Khulna and Rajshahi, the official said visa services in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, have resumed.
In Rajshahi, a protest march organised by a group called ‘July 36 Mancha’ was held towards the Indian Assistant High Commission. According to PTI, the march began around 12.30 pm local time from Bhadra Mor but was stopped midway after police intervened.
Police erected barricades about 100 metres before the Assistant High Commission office, preventing protesters from moving further. Participants later staged a sit-in protest near the barricades, seeking permission to proceed. Similar protests were also reported in Khulna on Thursday, PTI said.
India flags security risks, summons Bangladesh envoy
The closures followed diplomatic action a day earlier, when the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah and lodged a strong protest over the security situation in Bangladesh.
In a readout, the external affairs ministry said it had raised concerns about potential threats to the Indian mission in Dhaka, particularly in view of plans by extremist elements. “We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of missions and posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations,” the ministry said.
People familiar with the matter said one of the triggers for summoning the envoy was a controversial speech earlier this week by National Citizen Party leader Hasnat Abdullah. In his remarks, Abdullah reportedly claimed that Bangladesh could shelter separatist forces from India and cut off the country’s seven northeastern states.
Tensions were also evident in Dhaka, where police on Wednesday stopped a group of protesters marching towards the Indian High Commission in the Gulshan area. According to Bangladesh’s Daily Star, the protesters were demanding the return of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India during the July uprising last year.