New Delhi/Dhaka: The ongoing diplomatic row between India and Bangladesh escalated on Wednesday, with New Delhi announcing the closure of the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka.
This move comes amid the deteriorating security situation and the targeted hate and radical speeches towards India and its territorial sovereignty, as reported by NDTV.
India had summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, Muhammad Riaz Hamidullah, to issue a formal diplomatic protest over recent threats to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and inflammatory anti-India statements from Bangladeshi political leaders.
“In view of the ongoing security situation, we wish to bring to your kind notice that the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka will be closed at 2 PM today. All applicants who have appointment slots booked for submission today will be given a slot at a later date,” a statement from the Visa Application Centre said.
India has 16 visa application centres spread across Bangladesh. All the IVACs collectively process 22 lakh visa applications in a year. The State Bank of India is the only authorised agency for receiving visa applications in Bangladesh
The envoy from Bangladesh was called to draw his attention, in particular, to the activities of some extremist elements who have announced plans to create a security situation around the Indian Mission in Dhaka, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
“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,” the MEA said in a statement.
“India has close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, rooted in the liberation struggle and strengthened through various developmental and people-to-people initiatives. We are in favour of peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and credible elections, conducted in a peaceful atmosphere,” the MEA added.
Anti-India elements have been making statements about India’s northeast over the last few days, even as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus pushes for closer ties with Pakistan at the cost of the historic ties with India. Anti-India elements have been using the attack on student leader Sharif Osman Hadi to target India.
A leader of Bangladesh’s National Citizen Party (NCP) threatened that Dhaka would shelter forces hostile to Delhi and help sever India’s “seven sisters”—a term used to describe the country’s northeastern states– from India, earlier this week.
Seven Sisters will be separated from India,” Hasnat Abdullah said at a protest rally organised by Inqilab Mancha against those involved in the attack, Hadi, doubling down on preposterous claims that the accused are being backed by India.
India, however, has categorically rejected the assertions made by the interim government of Bangladesh and said it “never allowed its territory to be used for activities inimical to the interests of the friendly people of Bangladesh.”
Dhaka has also summoned the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, in connection with this issue.
