Bangladesh Halts Delhi Visa Services, Citing Security; India-BD Ties Worsen

• Bangladesh has indefinitely suspended all consular and visa services at its High Commission in New Delhi, citing "unavoidable circumstances."
• The decision follows a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi, which Bangladesh views as a major security lapse and a threat to its diplomats.
• India clarified the protest was minor and handled by police, but Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammad Tawhid Hossain expressed concern over security in the "High Security Diplomatic Zone."
• This move is seen as a retaliatory action after India previously suspended visa services in Khulna, Rajshahi, and Chattogram (Bangladesh) due to attacks on its visa offices.
• The suspension deepens the diplomatic rift between India and Bangladesh, impacting thousands of travelers and highlighting growing distrust since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

Why It Matters: Tit-for-tat visa suspensions escalate India-Bangladesh tensions, signaling a deep diplomatic rift.