 "MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. ANI")
The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner on Wednesday over security issues after the Indian High Commissioner was allegedly threatened by a group.
The development comes after National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah made proactive statements against India that were later strongly protested by New Delhi in the form of a demarche.
Meanwhile, the Indian visa centre in Dhaka was shut down early on Wednesday amid the heightened tensions.
According to a report by News18, the Bangladeshi High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah was inside the MEA headquarters in New Delhi for 20 minutes.
“India completely rejects the false narrative sought to be created by extremist elements regarding certain recent events in Bangladesh. It is unfortunate that the interim government has neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India regarding the incidents,” MEA said in a statement.
What did Abdullah say?
Abdullah warned on Monday that Dhaka could provide refuge to forces hostile to India, including separatist groups, and facilitate efforts to cut off India’s “seven sisters”, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. He made the remarks while addressing a gathering at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar.
“We will shelter separatist and anti-India forces and then we will sever the seven sisters from India. I want to make it clear to India that if you provide shelter to forces that do not respect Bangladesh’s sovereignty, potential, voting rights, and human rights, Bangladesh will respond,” he said.
His comments drew opposition from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who described the remarks “irresponsible and dangerous", adding, “‘India is a very big country, a nuclear nation and the fourth largest economy of the world. How can Bangladesh even think about it?"
Similar statements were earlier made by Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who said the Northeastern region is “landlocked” and drew criticism for calling on China to expand its control over Indian regions during his state visit to the country.
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The ties between the two countries hit a new low after Bangladesh accused India of carrying out anti-Bangladesh activities in Indian territory, a claim that has been categorically rejected by New Delhi.
Last week, NCP convenor Nahid Islam alleged, without providing evidence, that India and the Awami League may have been involved in the attempted assassination of NCP spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. He also claimed that the Awami League was operating in exile from India and was attempting to re-establish itself in Bangladesh..