Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala suspends visa and consular services from December 23, 2025, amid escalating security concerns and diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission (AHC) in Agartala announced on Monday that all visa and consular services will be suspended starting from December 23, 2025, until further notice. The suspension comes amid growing security concerns and escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh, officials confirmed.
S. M. Almas Hossain, the First Secretary and Head of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, issued an official notification stating, “Due to unavoidable circumstances, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala will remain closed from December 23, 2025, until further notice.” The diplomatic mission did not specify the exact reasons but highlighted the urgency and necessity of this step.
Increased security measures have been put in place around the AHC in Agartala since August last year, with a significant deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Tripura State Rifles to safeguard the diplomatic officials and premises. A senior Tripura police officer stated that these forces are tasked with maintaining peace and security in the area amid rising local unrest and protests.
The suspension of services comes at a time of heightened political and communal tension between the two neighboring countries. Several organizations and political parties in Tripura have condemned recent violent incidents in Bangladesh, particularly the alleged lynching of a Hindu man, blaming the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus for failing to protect religious minorities.
Last week, activists from the Sanatani Hindu Sena and the youth wing of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the BJP-led Tripura government, staged protests in front of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala. They condemned recent controversial statements from Bangladeshi political figures, which allegedly included claims over India’s northeastern region.
Suraj Debbarma, President of the Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), who led the demonstrations on December 19, accused National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah and other Bangladeshi leaders, including the interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, of making inflammatory “anti-India” remarks. Debbarma expressed concern that such comments fuel hostility and threaten regional peace.
One of the most contentious claims made by NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah included intentions to capture India’s ‘Seven Sisters’ states and the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck,’ which connects Northeast India with the rest of the country through West Bengal. The Seven Sisters—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura—hold strategic and cultural importance for India.
Debbarma reminded that India played a crucial role in Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971, sacrificing much to help establish Bangladesh as an independent nation. “Given India’s sacrifices and support, it is alarming that some Bangladeshi leaders now portray India as an enemy,” he said.
He further warned that if such “futile claims” persist, the Tipra Motha Party could raise historical territorial claims, such as on Cox’s Bazar, and highlight the plight of minorities in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts. The TMP has long advocated for a ‘Greater Tipraland’—a demand based on ethnic and cultural identities—while recognizing the longstanding benefits Bangladesh has gained from its ties with India.
Another TMP leader mentioned the historical zamindari of ‘Chakla Roshnabad,’ parts of which now fall under Bangladesh’s Noakhali and Sylhet districts, emphasizing historical connections and territorial sensitivities.
The deteriorating diplomatic relations and security concerns have also impacted Indian diplomatic operations in Bangladesh. Following violent clashes outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chittagong, visa services at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in the port city have been suspended since Sunday. The clashes, which injured several people including police officers, were triggered by protests after the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a spokesperson for the radical group Inqilab Mancha.
Hadi was shot by masked gunmen in Dhaka while leaving a mosque and later died from his injuries. His death has led to further unrest and violence across Bangladesh, including the capital city.
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The ongoing violence against minorities in Bangladesh, particularly under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, has sparked international concern and condemnation from human rights organizations. The security situation has also prompted India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to summon the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, on December 17 to express New Delhi’s deep concerns.
As the diplomatic tensions escalate and security deteriorates on both sides, the suspension of visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala reflects the fragile state of bilateral relations. Authorities in Tripura continue to monitor the situation closely, ensuring safety and stability in the border region amid these uncertain times.
