India would be soon withdrawing diplomats’ families in Bangladesh due to the growing security concerns after there has been an increase in extremist elements’ activities in the country. With just a few weeks until parliamentary elections, tension has increased in Bangladesh. A source said, “Owing to the security situation, India is taking precautionary measures, an advisory has been issued to ensure the safe return of dependents of our officials in the high commission and other posts,”. However, it was confirmed that the diplomatic mission and other posts in Bangladesh will be operational.
With the unrest situation in Bangladesh, a ‘non-family’ posting has been declared, this is mostly done in the most stringent security measures. There is no confirmation about when the families of the officials will be withdrawn and whether they would be brought back to India. Currently, India has diplomatic posts in Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet, apart from the high commission in Dhaka.
How has India and Bangladesh relations strained?
Ever since the interim government in Bangladesh headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power in 2024, after the Sheikh Hasina regime was overthrown, tension has increased between two countries. After the recent protest, both the countries have increased security of their missions. India has even asked Bangladesh to firmly deal with the growing communal incidents. “We continue to witness a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities as well as their homes and businesses by extremists,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
India has highlighted that Bangladesh has ‘troubling tendency’ and has attributed violence to personal rivalries, political differences, or extraneous reasons. Jaiswal said, “such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators. We have repeatedly addressed this issue in earlier briefings and continue to see a disturbing pattern of recurring attacks on minorities, their homes, and businesses by extremists in Bangladesh,” he noted.
