NEW DELHI/DHAKA – India summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to New Delhi on Wednesday, December 17, to voice deep concerns about a worsening security environment in Bangladesh, including specific threats targeting the Indian Mission in Dhaka.
The diplomatic démarche followed Bangladesh’s summons of India’s High Commissioner in Dhaka two days earlier. Dhaka had protested “incendiary statements” by former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 amid massive protests and now resides in New Delhi. Hasina’s remarks from Indian soil, Dhaka warned, could jeopardize Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, 2025.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah of intelligence indicating that “extremist elements” in Bangladesh have plotted disruptions around the Indian Mission. “These developments are a matter of serious concern,” the MEA stated, rejecting what it called a “false narrative” propagated by these groups about recent incidents.
New Delhi accused Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since Hasina’s ouster, of failing to investigate those events thoroughly or share credible evidence with India. Relations between the neighbors have chilled since Hasina’s exile, with Dhaka repeatedly demanding her extradition to face charges at home.
India reaffirmed its commitment to Bangladesh’s peace and stability, urging “free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections” in a secure atmosphere. No immediate response came from Bangladeshi authorities. Tensions escalate as Bangladesh gears up for polls under Yunus’s administration, with recent protests, counter-demonstrations, and law-and-order breakdowns fueling pre-election volatility.