India Closes Dhaka Visa Centre due to growing security concerns. This decision followed threats from extremist groups and provocative statements from Bangladeshi leaders. The IVAC, located at Jamuna Future Park, stopped operations at 2 pm, citing the security situation. They announced that all applicants with appointments for Wednesday would be rescheduled.
India Closes Dhaka Visa Centre over security concerns
Earlier that day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah. They expressed strong concerns about the worsening security environment in Bangladesh. The MEA highlighted the presence of extremist elements that planned to create a security issue around the Indian Mission in Dhaka.
The MEA said, “We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of Missions and Posts in Bangladesh in line with its diplomatic duties.” They also voiced serious worries about threats to the Indian High Commission.
Additionally, the MEA rejected what it termed a false narrative from extremist groups regarding recent events in Bangladesh. They noted that the interim government had not conducted a thorough investigation or provided substantial evidence about the incidents.
NCP leader warn Bangladesh
This summoning of the Bangladeshi envoy followed a day after a local political leader made a provocative threat against India. On Monday, National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah warned that if Bangladesh faced instability, his country would try to isolate India’s northeastern states, known as the Seven Sisters, and provide a safe haven for separatists. Abdullah said at a rally, “If Bangladesh is destabilised, the fire of resistance will spread beyond borders.”
In a separate matter, Bangladesh summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka to seek cooperation on an ongoing case. They again requested the quick extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Last month, Hasina received a death sentence for crimes against humanity related to unrest last year that reportedly resulted in over 500 deaths.
Read also: Godrej Properties Achieves ₹2,600 Crore Sales in Strong Hyderabad Launch Year