Consular services and visa operations at the Bangladesh High Commission in India’s New Delhi and the Assistant High Commission in Agartala have been suspended due to security concerns.
The services will remain closed until further notice.
A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the suspension to Dhaka Tribune on Monday evening. A formal notice regarding the closure was posted at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi.
The move comes after protests in Siliguri and Kolkata over the killing of Dipu Chandra Das.
Protests and threats in Delhi
On Saturday night, 20–25 members of an extremist group, Akhand Hindu Rashtrasena, staged a demonstration outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi for about 20 minutes. They shouted anti-Bangladesh slogans and issued threats against Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah.
Following the incident, Bangladesh’s foreign adviser said the high commissioner’s family in Delhi felt threatened and was at risk.
Demonstrations in Siliguri and Kolkata
In Siliguri, members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) protested in front of the Bangladesh Visa Center, temporarily forcing its closure. VHP leaders warned that the center should not be reopened.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, several Hindu organizations staged protests outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. The demonstration, led by West Bengal Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, occurred Monday afternoon. Hundreds of protesters marched from the Bagbazar intersection but were stopped roughly 200 meters away by Kolkata Police.
Adhikari announced a symbolic blockade at multiple border points on Wednesday. He warned that if Bangladesh does not take appropriate action regarding the persecution of minorities, including the Dipu Chandra Das case, “not even a kilogram of onions” would be allowed across the border. He also announced a follow-up protest outside the Kolkata Deputy High Commission on Friday.
