Security has been stepped up outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi following a deterioration in the situation in the neighbouring country.
The move came amid a rise in protests outside Indian diplomatic missions in Bangladesh, prompting authorities in India to strengthen the security cordon around the Bangladeshi mission in the capital.
Protests erupted across Bangladesh following the death of political leader Sharif Osman Hadi late Thursday.
Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising that toppled the Sheikh Hasina government, was shot in the head by masked assailants last Friday (December 12) while launching his election campaign in Dhaka.
Thousands gathered at Shahbag, accusing the Muhammad Yunus–led administration of failing to provide adequate security for him.
The agitation later turned violent, as protesters vandalised the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, while the Awami League’s office in Rajshahi was also reportedly set on fire. The unrest spread beyond Dhaka, with incidents of stone-pelting reported at the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram.
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The Bangladesh interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, on Friday issued its first formal response to the ongoing unrest, urging citizens to resist mob violence and maintain calm.
It blamed a small group of fringe elements for fuelling the disturbances and said it “strongly and unequivocally” condemns violence, intimidation, arson and destruction of property, warning that such acts could derail the country’s democratic process.
