Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, has been urgently summoned back to Dhaka, having arrived in the neighbouring country’s capital late Monday night amid escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh.
The sudden recall has triggered widespread speculation in diplomatic circles. For weeks, there has been growing discussion that Dhaka may seek to scale down its diplomatic engagement with New Delhi. Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain, had earlier issued a warning hinting at such a move. Officials believe the summoning of the High Commissioner from Delhi is linked to this broader reassessment of bilateral ties.
In another development, Bangladesh has suspended visa issuance from its missions in India, including Delhi and Kolkata, and also curtailed other consular services. While India continues to issue medical visas to Bangladeshi nationals, the validity of previously issued visas is reportedly not being extended, except in cases of extreme urgency, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official said.
The diplomatic strain has been accompanied by protests and unrest in both countries. Over the past ten days, demonstrations have taken place outside High Commissions and consular offices on both sides. The situation escalated after the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a young leader of Islamic Mancha known for his strong anti-India stance and hardline Islamist views. Bangladesh has alleged that those responsible for the murder fled to India after the incident, which India’s authorities firmly dismissed.
Following the killing, Dhaka summoned India’s High Commissioner, Pranay Verma, and issued a warning.
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“In response, New Delhi summoned Riaz Hamidullah and expressed concerns over the security of its High Commission in Dhaka, urging the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure its protection. Subsequently, India enhanced security at its High Commission in the Baridhara diplomatic zone of Dhaka,” said the MEA official.
Despite these measures, Indian consular offices in Chittagong and Khulna witnessed demonstrations.
Observers warn that if the current trajectory continues, India-Bangladesh relations could become largely formalistic, resembling the nature of India-Pakistan diplomatic ties – where missions remain open but engagement is minimal.
Sources in the MEA said diplomatic relations may deteriorate further in the run-up to Bangladesh’s upcoming national parliamentary elections. Several political parties, in addition to the ruling establishment, are expected to intensify anti-India rhetoric during this period, potentially deepening the diplomatic rift.
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