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Visa centres shut, Bangladeshi envoy summoned by India: What has sparked tensions?
According to officials, there had been protests in Khulna and Rajshahi on Thursday, where the two visa application centres were located.
Visa centres have reportedly been shut down in Bangladesh, an envoy of the country has been summoned by India – recent developments that have hit ties between the neighbouring countries amid already-tense relations over New Delhi providing shelter to ousted former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
India has shut down two visa application centres in Bangladesh amid protests in the country. The two centres which have been closed are located in Khulna and Rajshahi, ANI news agency quoted an official of the High Commission of India in Dhaka as saying on Thursday.
The official said that there had been protests in Khulna and Rajshahi on Thursday. “Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down,” the official added.
However, the official informed that the visa application centre in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, had resumed operations.
Protest march towards Indian Assistant High Commission in Rajshahi
In Rajshahi, a march had been organised by ‘July 36 Mancha’ toward the Indian Assistant High Commission, which began at 12:30 pm (local time) from Bhadra Mor in the city, PTI reported.
The march proceeded towards the office of the Indian Assistant High Commission, but was stopped midway due to police intervention. When the march began, cops stopped the procession by putting up barricades about 100 metres before the Assistant High Commission office.
Following this, participants staged a sit-in protest in front of the barricades and requested for permission to move ahead. Similar protests were also called in Khulna on Thursday, according to PTI.
MEA summons Bangladesh envoy: What led to escalated tensions?
The Ministry of External Affairs had on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, and lodged a strong protest over the deteriorating security situation in Bangladesh.
It highlighted in particular concerns over plans by extremist elements that could threaten the safety of the Indian mission in Dhaka, according to an earlier HT report.
“We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of missions and posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations,” the external affairs ministry said in a readout.
According to people familiar with the matter, one of the triggers for summoning the Bangladesh envoy was a controversial speech delivered earlier this week by National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah. Abdullah had, in his speech, claimed that Bangladesh could shelter separatist forces from India and sever the country’s seven northeastern states.
Meanwhile, Dhaka police on Wednesday also stopped a group of protesters marching towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka's Gulshan area. The protestors were demanding the return of deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India during the July uprising last year, according to Daily Star.
