New Delhi: Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah was summoned by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Tuesday, the ThePrint has learnt. This follows Bangladesh summoning India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma in Dhaka earlier in the day.
Hamidullah was summoned late Tuesday evening and a discussion was held between officials in the MEA and the Bangladeshi envoy. This is the second time Hamidullah has been summoned in the last week, especially after Indian missions in Bangladesh faced waves of protests following the death of political aspirant Sharif Osman Hadi.
India had closed its visa offices in Rajshahi and Khulna late last week, which have since resumed operations. The sole Indian visa centre that remains closed is in Chattogram since 21 December following the incidents of violence in the intervening night of 18 and 19 December.
Verma was summoned by Dhaka over “grave concerns” due to “recent security incidents” targeting Bangladeshi diplomats and consular officials in New Delhi. Early Tuesday morning around 150 to 200 protesters primarily from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal gathered near the Bangladeshi High Commission in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi to protest against the lynching of a Hindu individual–Dipu Chandra Das–in Mymensingh last week.
Das was beaten by a mob and set on fire allegedly for blasphemy. The education adviser of Bangladesh C. R. Abrar met Das’ family Tuesday and assured them support of the interim government.
Protesters also gathered outside the Bangladeshi mission in Kolkata Tuesday. Consular and visa services were suspended by the Bangladesh missions in New Delhi and Agartala Monday due to their security concerns.
The diplomatic back and forth between India and Bangladesh comes in the wake of the protests seen in Dhaka and other cities in the South Asian nation following the death of Hadi on 18 December. Hadi, a political aspirant and a leading figure of the radical platform Inquilab Mancho, was shot by unknown assailants in Dhaka on 11 December. He died a week later from his injuries in Singapore.
His funeral was held Saturday. The interim administration in Dhaka had declared Saturday a day of mourning. The protests following Hadi’s death were seen across Bangladesh including ransacking of the offices of Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, two of the largest newspapers in Bangladesh.
Protesters also attacked the remnants of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house–Dhanmondi 32–in Dhaka. Those marching on the streets of Bangladesh following Hadi’s death raised their ire particularly against India. Hadi was known for his strong anti-India views. Reports days after Hadi’s shooting suggested the assailants had fled to India. Bangladeshi authorities say they are not aware of the location of the assailants.
Tuesday’s protests in New Delhi near the premises of the Bangladesh High Commission were not the first over the lynching of Das. On Saturday, around 20 to 25 protesters raised slogans close to the front gates of the Bangladesh high commission in the national capital, but were swiftly removed by the police.
India Sunday rejected claims in some media reports that the 20 to 25 individuals attempted to breach the fences outside the diplomatic premises in the national capital, or endanger the diplomats and officials.
“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,” Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement Sunday.
The current protests in Bangladesh come roughly two months ahead of the 12 February 2026 elections. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus Monday reiterated that the election will be held on time in a call with Sergio Gor, the US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia.
Yunus blamed the Awami League and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the latest protests and violence in the country in the call with Gor.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
You know when I heard the word blasphemy I thought he abused their god but the funny thing is he only said “all gods are the same” something which I believed when I was young and naive but then I saw that Abrahamic faiths don’t feel the same way.
Why are we the only one expected to be secular ? Everyone has to take efforts to bridge the differences. I see some Muslims doing that and I must give credit to them and Hindus should trust them because they don’t believe in supremacy over us. Radicals ones need to be punished hard (these are imams) because they will create divisions for their own interests.