India issues strong warning to Bangladesh over safety of diplomatic missions
The Indian missions have been declared non family stations and security has been intensified amid rising anti-India rhetoric
A file image of violence outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Bangladesh
Guwahati, Jan 24: India has made it clear to Bangladesh that if any person working in the Indian missions in that country is harmed, there will be serious consequences. This message to Bangladesh came amidst strong anti-India rhetoric in the neighbouring country.
Official sources told The Assam Tribune that, apart from the High Commission in Dhaka, India has five more offices in Bangladesh. Due to the situation in that country, all the missions have been declared “non-family stations”.
The sources pointed out that if the families of the Indian officials are allowed to stay in Bangladesh, their children would have to go to school, and the women would have to come out for shopping and other essential work, which would be risky under the present circumstances.
The family members are being escorted to the airport so that they can fly back to India safely.
“Evacuation of the family members will be completed in a day or two,” sources added.
On the security of the Indian missions, the sources said that once a mob had reached the last barricade leading to the High Commission in Dhaka. The mob managed to break a few barricades and reach the last one, where the crowd was thwarted by security personnel. That was scary, and security of the Indian missions has been intensified after the incident.
The sources said that contingents of Indian paramilitary forces have been guarding the Indian missions in Bangladesh for a long time, and because of the prevailing situation, security of the missions has been augmented. Now security forces of Bangladesh have also been deployed.
So the officers at the Indian missions are, by and large, safe. If any major incident happens, India can also send extra forces immediately.
Of course, the officers have to go out frequently, and now the Bangladesh security forces escort them when they have to go to work.
“After a strong message has been conveyed to Bangladesh, the Government of India is confident that no Indian officer will be harmed in the neighbouring country,” the sources added.