Hours after a radical group in Dhaka announced a march to the Indian High Commission on Wednesday (December 17, 2025) afternoon, to protest India’s alleged interference in Bangladeshi politics, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi summoned the High Commissioner of Bangladesh Riaz Hamidullah and reminded him about his government’s responsibility to ensure the security and safety of India’s mission and visa facilities in Bangladesh.
“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 after the meeting with Mr. Hamidullah.
Anti-India comments
The MEA’s summons to the Bangladeshi envoy came a day after both countries celebrated Vijay Divas or Victory Day on December 16, commemorating the end of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, even as anti-India comments made by Bangladeshi student leaders went viral on social media.
“We will not tolerate if terrorism is exported from India. Our enemies will not be safe if our security is harmed,” said Mahfuj Alam, a student leader who is campaigning for the upcoming elections in Bangladesh. Mr. Alam was part of the interim government of Bangladesh until last week when he resigned from the post of student adviser as the schedule of the election was announced.
In another inflammatory speech, Hasnat Abdullah, leader of the National Citizen Party, described India as a hostile country and threatened to “sever” northeastern India from the rest of the country.
Heightened tensions
Such statements delivered at public rallies and on social media platforms further heightened the tensions that had spiked with the murderous attack on a right-wing student leader Sharif Osman Hadi on December 12. Hours after the incident that left Mr. Hadi on life support, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry accused Ms. Hasina and the leaders of her Awami League party of launching “terrorist” attacks from India, and asked India to prevent Mr. Hadi from fleeing Bangladesh.
India had immediately issued a strong objection. “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,” the MEA said.
Responding from Dhaka, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs adviser Touhid Hossein accused Ms. Hasina of issuing “incendiary” statements. “We will want India to stop her so that the environment being created here for elections is not spoiled by the incendiary statements she is making. We will ask this of them, and if they do so, we will take it as a positive step. If they do not, then I cannot force her,” he said, responding to questions from the media.
