Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Wednesday evening said Bangladesh does not require advice from India on how to conduct its elections, describing such counsel as “completely unacceptable.”
He made the remarks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against the backdrop of India summoning Bangladesh High Commissioner to New Delhi M Riaz Hamidullah and handing over a protest note.
“The Bangladeshi government considers India’s advice on the conduct of elections to be completely unacceptable,” the adviser said. “Bangladesh knows how to hold a good election where people can vote freely, and there is no need for external instruction.”
Touhid Hossain questioned India’s current stance, noting that New Delhi did not raise any objections over the past 15 years, a period during which bilateral relations were “extremely sweet” despite elections in Bangladesh being “farcical”.
“India did not utter a single word about the quality of elections then. Now, when Bangladesh is preparing for a good election, the question arises—why is India offering counsel?” he added.
The adviser reiterated that the interim government, since its first day in office, has been committed to creating an environment that allows citizens to vote freely—an environment he said had been absent for the last 15 years.
Responding to a question about advice from other countries, Touhid Hossain said Bangladesh differentiates India’s stance from that of the United States and European nations. While Dhaka remains open to election observers and maintains communication with those countries and the Election Commission, it cannot accept India’s specific advice, as New Delhi did not express similar concerns in the past.
“It is better to accept the reality that there is a tension between Bangladesh and India,” he said, adding that Dhaka has always sought a working relationship with New Delhi, though both sides “could not go far enough”.
On the issue of diplomatic summons, the adviser said such actions and counter-actions are not unusual in diplomacy. When Bangladesh summoned India’s high commissioner, certain messages were conveyed which the Indian side did not accept, leading to the reciprocal summoning of Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in New Delhi.
Bangladesh high commissioner summoned
India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner M Riaz Hamidullah to convey security concerns over the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
The move came after protesters announced plans to hold a “March to Indian High Commission” rally in the capital around 3pm. The situation followed remarks by National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah, who at a public gathering on Monday threatened to isolate India’s northeastern states—known as the Seven Sisters—and offer shelter to separatist groups if Bangladesh’s interests were challenged.
Indian officials expressed concern over the safety of diplomatic premises and personnel in Dhaka, urging Bangladeshi authorities to ensure adequate security in line with international obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, India’s foreign ministry said the Bangladesh high commissioner was summoned and informed of India’s “strong concerns” over the deteriorating security environment in Bangladesh, particularly activities by “extremist elements” planning to create a security situation around the Indian mission in Dhaka.
The statement also rejected what it described as a “false narrative” surrounding recent events in Bangladesh, adding that the interim government had neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India.
Reaffirming its position, the ministry said India maintains close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, rooted in the liberation struggle and strengthened through development and people-to-people initiatives. It reiterated its support for free, fair, inclusive and credible elections in Bangladesh and stressed that the interim government must ensure the safety of all diplomatic missions in accordance with its obligations.
India visa centre closed
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka closed its visa centre on security grounds on Tuesday.
In a notice, it said, “In view of the on-going security situation, we wish to bring to your kind notice that IVAC JFP Dhaka will be closed at 2 PM today (17.12.2025). All applicants who have appointment slots booked for submission today will be given a slot at a later date.”
When asked about the closure, the foreign adviser said the decision was taken due to a programme scheduled for the day.
“There was a programme today, and that is why they closed their visa centre for security reasons,” he said.
However, the adviser added that he had no information on how long the Indian visa centre would remain closed.
