Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah, arrived in Dhaka late Monday after the Foreign Ministry issued an urgent recall for consultations, officials said, as bilateral ties faced fresh tension over India-based commentary on Bangladesh’s minority situation.
A senior Foreign Ministry source confirmed the recall on Monday night, noting that Hamidullah was summoned “to review the recent turn in the relationship” following two weeks of unease marked by protests outside Bangladeshi missions in India by Hindutva-affiliated groups. Citing security concerns, Bangladesh temporarily suspended visa services at its missions.
The friction escalated on December 23 when the two countries’ high commissioners were summoned in rare reciprocal démarches. On Friday, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal referenced “2,900 incidents” of violence against minorities in Bangladesh. Dhaka rejected the claim on Sunday as “motivated,” with Foreign Ministry spokesperson S M Mahbubul Alam urging Indian quarters to refrain from disseminating “misleading” narratives.
Officials in Dhaka said Hamidullah will brief the government on developments in New Delhi and discuss steps to stabilize ties and restore normal consular operations.