Consular and visa services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and Agartala have been temporarily suspended because of “unavoidable circumstances”, according to a notice issued by the mission on Monday.
The notice, seen in Delhi, said: “All consular and visa services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.”
A senior official from Bangladesh’s ministry of foreign affairs confirmed the suspension to Dhaka Tribune on Monday evening. A formal notice regarding the closure was also posted at the High Commission premises, The Telegraph Online sources said.
The suspension comes amid heightened security outside the High Commission following a planned protest by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists on Monday over the killing of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh.
Security was tightened in the diplomatic enclave, with police and paramilitary personnel deployed at regular intervals to prevent any law-and-order situation.
The protest was called in response to the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old Hindu garment factory worker in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, who was beaten to death by a mob on December 18.
According to police, Das was first assaulted outside the factory over blasphemy rumours and later hanged from a tree. His body was subsequently left by the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway and set on fire.
The body was recovered and sent to the Mymensingh Medical College morgue for autopsy. The victim’s brother, Apu Chandra Das, filed a case at Bhaluka Police Station on Friday, naming 140–150 unidentified persons.
India responded to the incident on Sunday, expressing concern over what it described as continuing atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the killing “horrendous” and said New Delhi had conveyed its concerns to Dhaka, urging that those responsible be identified and punished without delay. The MEA also said it was closely tracking the situation in the neighbouring country.
The MEA rejected reports in sections of the Bangladesh media calling the protest outside the High Commission violent, saying such claims “misleading propaganda”. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said only a small group had gathered outside the mission and that there was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation. Police dispersed the group within minutes, he said.
Hours later, Bangladesh’s foreign office issued a statement saying the incident outside the High Commission residence in New Delhi on December 20 was “highly regrettable” and could not be dismissed as misleading propaganda.
It said the protesters were allowed to carry out activities right outside the High Commission’s perimeter, creating panic among personnel inside, and that no advance information had been provided about the organised event.
“We have, however, noted the commitment of the Government of India to ensure the safety and security of all Bangladesh diplomatic posts in India,” the statement added.
Bangladeshi authorities have continued to make arrests in the case. Two more people were arrested on Sunday, taking the total number of arrests to 17, The Daily Star reported, citing police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) sources.
