MEA summons Bangladesh high commissioner over security on Indian mission in Dhaka

Ministry of External Affairs.

The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Delhi over the security of the Indian mission in Dhaka. The demarche was issued to M. Riaz Hamidullah following protests outside the Dhaka mission.

The summon comes on the heels of anti-India rhetoric by National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah, who had made a public address threatening to isolate the seven sisters (Northeastern states) and provide refuge to separatists from the Northeast if Bangladesh is destabilised.

While speaking about how to destabilise India's northeastern states, Abdullah had also reportedly claimed that those states were “geographically vulnerable” because of their dependence on the narrow Siliguri Corridor.

“We will shelter separatist and anti-India forces and then we will sever the seven sisters from India,” Abdullah said, drawing loud cheers from sections of the audience. “I want to make it clear to India that if you provide shelter to forces that do not respect Bangladesh’s sovereignty, potential, voting rights, and human rights, Bangladesh will respond.”

Hasnat also remarked that even after 54 years of independence, Bangladesh continues to face attempts by ‘vultures’ seeking to exert control over the country, without mentioning New Delhi directly.

On Tuesday, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, reacting to the remark on seven sisters ,  claimed  that in Bangladesh, discussions have been going on about “separating northeast” from India and making it a part of Bangladesh.  Sarma called the remarks “irresponsible and dangerous”, adding, “‘India is a very big country, a nuclear nation and the fourth largest economy of the world. How can Bangladesh even think about it?”

“For the past year, there has been repeated discussion in Bangladesh about separating the northeast from India and making it a part of Bangladesh. But India is a very big country, a nuclear nation and the fourth largest economy of the world. How can Bangladesh even think about it?'” Assam CM said.