India closes Rajshahi and Khulna visa centers due to worsening security in Bangladesh amid anti-India protests and tensions over northeastern states.

Amid a worsening security situation in Bangladesh, India has shuttered two additional visa centers in Rajshahi and Khulna, in addition to Dhaka. This comes a day after hardline Islamists organizing under the name “July Oikya” staged a protest march in front of the Indian High Commission, demanding a number of things, including the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

We would like to inform you that IVAC Rajshahi and Khulna will be closed today (18.12.2025) due to the ongoing security situation. An official announcement on the IVAC website stated, “All applicants who have appointment slots reserved for submission today will be given a slot at a later date.”

This occurred even though Delhi has noted an increase in overt animosity toward India, particularly the Northeast, under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which aims to strengthen ties with Pakistan at the expense of Bangladesh’s long-standing relationship with India.

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Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain dismissed India’s worries and disassociated Dhaka from the student leader who made a public threat to cut off India’s “seven sisters”—a reference to the country’s northeastern states—from India. Additionally, he refuted the worsening state of law and order, stating, “We have ensured that security is not affected.”

“Hasnat Abdullah is not a part of the government,” Hossain remarked in response to the National Citizen Party (NCP) leader’s’seven sisters’ statement. If the government had an opinion, it would be expressed by me or the highest office in the government. This is unimportant.

The Yunus-led interim government has allowed radical extremists like Hasnat Abdullah to operate freely. The leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP) has also made provocative remarks, threatening to expel the Indian High Commissioner from Bangladesh.

With the help of Jamaat-E-Islami Bangladesh and its student branch, Chhatra Shibir, the students’ rallies overthrew the Awami League administration of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, giving rise to the NCP. The NCP has supported Muhammad Yunus as the head of Bangladesh’s interim administration, despite the party’s very limited base of support.

Hossain stated that there was a program at the Dhaka visa application center and that it was closed due to a security concern on Wednesday.

He asserted that “we have ensured that security is not affected,” even though radical elements were planning anti-India demonstrations in Dhaka.

The interim government appears to disregard India’s suggestion to guarantee peaceful elections in Bangladesh.

“They have given us some counsel, and I don’t believe we need any further advice from them. Touhid Hossain stated, “This government has stated from the beginning at the highest level that we want to create an atmosphere where people can go and cast their votes, which was not there in the last 15 years.”

“Now, India is giving us advice, and I don’t think this is acceptable at all since they are aware that for the past fifteen years, there was a government with which they had extremely good relations; they remained silent during the elections. They don’t need to give us advice now that we are headed for a successful election,” Hossain continued.

“We anticipate that the interim government of Bangladesh will take all necessary measures for ensuring internal law and order, including for the purpose of holding peaceful elections,” stated a previous statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs. In order for Bangladesh to return to a government with an elected mandate, the statement emphasized the necessity for the interim administration to hold elections.

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Although mainstream political parties have advocated for early elections, observers in Bangladesh have warned that radical groups supporting the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus will attempt to sabotage the elections by establishing law and order in the nation and falsely accusing India of being the bad guy.

This is happening at the same time as India responds quite calmly to remarks made by Bangladesh that directly jeopardize India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in the northeast. If elections are postponed, Muhammad Yunus’s unelected interim government will be able to remain in power past February.