Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala suspends visa service
Agartala, December 24
Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Agartala, has temporarily suspended its visa service, a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official told.
Bangladesh has also temporarily suspended visa operations in Delhi and Siliguri.
India on Tuesday summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, second time in a week amid some strain in ties over developments in the neighbouring country.
India on Sunday dismissed "misleading propaganda" in sections of the Bangladeshi media over a demonstration in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi against the "horrendous killing" of Hindu youth, and said the protest was brief and posed no security threat.
The Hindu youth was brutally killed in Mymensingh, again triggering international concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh.
"We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on December 20 and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also calling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a media query.
"There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensure the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention," he added.
The Spokesperson said India continues to keep a close watch on the evolving situation in Bangladesh and reaffirmed India's commitment to international protocols, emphasising its obligation to protect foreign diplomats and their missions, ensuring "the safety of foreign Missions/Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention".
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, in a notice on Monday, said that all consular and visa services have been temporarily suspended.
"Due to unavoidable circumstances, all consular and visa services from the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi are temporarily suspended until further notice. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted," the Bangladesh High Commission's notice read.
The development came after India suspended visa operations at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chittagong following a security incident.The suspension followed reports of unrest and security concerns near the diplomatic mission last week. IVAC had clarified that the decision to resume services will depend on a thorough assessment of the local environment.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The killing of Dipu Chandra Das is heartbreaking. While diplomatic protocols are important, the safety of minorities in our neighbourhood must be a top priority for our foreign policy. India's statement was necessary to counter the false narrative.
Practical problems for common people. My cousin's wedding is in Dhaka next month and now the visa process is stuck. These diplomatic tensions shouldn't punish ordinary citizens who have travel plans and family across the border.
As an observer, it seems both sides are reacting to security incidents. India suspended services in Chittagong first after an incident. Now Bangladesh is reciprocating. A cycle that needs de-escalation. Hope cooler heads prevail.
The MEA's clarification was spot on. A small, peaceful protest by concerned citizens is being blown out of proportion by some Bangladeshi media. India has always been a responsible host to diplomatic missions.
While I understand the security concerns, I respectfully think our government could have been more proactive in reassuring Bangladesh after the Chittagong suspension. Tit-for-tat measures only hurt people-to-people ties. We share too much history and culture for this.
The core issue here is the protection of minority rights. The visa suspensions are a
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