The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah over security concerns surrounding the Indian mission in Dhaka. The summons came after loyalists of Muhammad Yunus held a rally on Monday in the capital of Bangladesh, coinciding with the Bangladesh Vijay Diwas, and made threats to separate Northeast India from the mainland.
Why was the Bangladesh High Commissioner summoned?
The MEA has registered a protest against deteriorating conditions in Bangladesh, and a probable security threat to the Indian mission in Dhaka, over plans by extremist elements, The Hindustan Times reported. This has led to bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh tanking even lower. Skirmishes between the two countries began soon after the erstwhile Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration was toppled by extensive student protests, after which Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge of the government as Chief Advisor. Sheikh Hasina was give refuge in India after her ouster, and she is currently in India, residing at an undisclosed location.
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What did the MEA say?
Joint Secretary B. Shyam, head of the Bangladesh-Myanmar division of the MEA, had summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner, The Hindustan Times reported. “We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of missions and posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations,” a readout from the External Affairs Ministry said, the report quoted. India has also raised concerns regarding the deteriorating conditions of a secure environment in Bangladesh, and regarding the activities of some extremists, which are placing the Indian mission in the face of impending danger.
The rally in Dhaka
The rally in Dhaka on Monday saw Yunus loyalist NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders threatening to harm the sovereignty of India. While NCP leader and student activist Nahid Islam said that India's independence relies on Bangladesh, Hasnat Abdullah spewed venom by threatening to sever the 'seven sisters' from India. They indirectly blamed India for the armed assault on Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
