New Delhi (TDI): India has decided to withdraw the families and dependents of its diplomats from Bangladesh due to mounting security concerns as the country heads toward a general election scheduled for February 12, an Indian official said on Wednesday.
The move comes as election campaigning begins on Thursday, with Bangladesh witnessing protests and counter-protests that have heightened political tensions. According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the decision is part of what were described as “internal readjustments.” No further details were provided, and it remains unclear when the families will be relocated, Reuters reported.
Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated since former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in 2024 after weeks of deadly protests. Since then, the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly sought Hasina’s extradition, while dismissing Indian concerns over attacks on Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.
In December, New Delhi summoned Bangladesh’s high commissioner to express alarm over what it described as a worsening security environment, particularly threats directed at India’s diplomatic mission in Dhaka.
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Bilateral ties have remained strained since the Awami League government was toppled following student-led demonstrations that turned violent in July and August last year.
Tensions have intensified further in recent weeks after the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a vocal critic of India who played a prominent role in the 2024 uprising.
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His death sparked violent unrest, with mobs setting fire to several buildings, including two leading newspapers perceived as pro-India and a well-known cultural institution.
Bangladesh police have said the alleged suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, fled the country through the Haluaghat border into India.
