The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah, on Wednesday following recent protests outside the Indian mission in Dhaka. The summons addressed concerns over the security of the mission and the safety of Indian personnel in the Bangladeshi capital.
The meeting took place at the MEA in Delhi, and the High Commissioner departed in the afternoon after discussions. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the summons comes amid heightened tensions triggered by anti-India rhetoric from National Citizens Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah. Abdullah had publicly threatened to isolate India’s Northeastern states and provide refuge to separatists if Bangladesh were destabilized.
This development coincided with Bangladesh Liberation Day, also known as Vijay Diwas, which commemorates India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war and the independence of Bangladesh. On the occasion, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar extended greetings to Bangladesh, tweeting, “Greetings to Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain, the Interim Government and the people of Bangladesh on Bijoy Dibosh.”
During Victory Day celebrations at the Bangladesh Embassy in Delhi, High Commissioner M. Riaz Hamidullah reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to its citizens, particularly its younger population, and emphasized the importance of the bilateral relationship with India. “The whole of Bangladesh, and all of us, are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of our people, especially the younger generation. We have a very young demography. We believe our relationship with India is in our shared interest. We have mutual interdependence and are fully focused on prosperity, peace, and security in the region,” ANI quoted him as saying.
The MEA’s summons underscores India’s commitment to protecting its diplomatic missions abroad while continuing to foster a strong, mutually beneficial partnership with Bangladesh.
