India To Withdraw Diplomats’ Families In Bangladesh Amid Security Concerns

New Delhi, Jan 21: India has decided to withdraw the families and dependents of Indian officials posted in Bangladesh amid the security concerns following the increasing activities of extremist elements in the country.

The move comes weeks before parliamentary elections are to be held in Bangladesh.

“Given the security situation, as a precautionary measure, we have advised the dependents of our officials in the high commission and other posts to return to India,” official sources told. They further clarified that the mission and all posts in Bangladesh continue to remain open and operational.

A “non-family” posting is one of the most stringent security measures. These are generally imposed in a country or location deemed unstable or hazardous.

There is no clarity on when the families of the officials are expected to withdraw and whether they will return to India.

Apart from the high commission in Dhaka, India has diplomatic posts in Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Sylhet.

India-Bangladesh relations have been strained ever since the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power in 2024, following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina regime. Both sides have increased security at their missions amid recent protests. Violence against Hindus in Bangladesh has also seen a spike ever since the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi on December 12.

India raised concerns over the violence and called on Bangladesh to firmly deal with communal incidents in the country.

“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.

New Delhi highlighted the “troubling tendency” of Bangladesh to attribute such violence to personal rivalries, political differences, or extraneous reasons. Flagging this, Jaiswal said that “such disregard only emboldens the perpetrators” and further causes fear and insecurity among minorities. “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 added.