Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner summoned by India over border dispute

In the ongoing border dispute between Bangladesh and India, India has summoned Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner, Nurul Islam. 

A video by the news agency ANI showed him leaving India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.

This development came after Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned India’s High Commissioner, Pranay Verma, the day before. 

The reason for this diplomatic action was the installation of barbed wire by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) along the Bangladesh-India border, a move that Bangladesh says violates international law.

Reports from Indian news outlet News18 revealed that Nurul Islam was seen leaving the South Block of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. 

He had been called in to discuss the matter, though it’s still unclear what exactly was discussed during the meeting.

The issue began when the BSF tried to set up barbed wire at the Chouka border in Chapainawabganj. 

This move was met with strong protests from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local residents. 

After several rounds of meetings between BGB and BSF, India decided to halt the construction work last week.

On Sunday, Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Advisor, retired Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, made it clear that if India continued to build the wire in violation of international law, Bangladesh would step in to stop it. 

He also emphasized that the BGB would stand firm on this matter to protect the border.

The border between Bangladesh and India’s West Bengal region stretches 2,216 kilometers, and according to the Times of India, half of this border is not fenced.

This is not the first time tensions have flared between the two countries over border issues. On December 3, Bangladesh had previously summoned Pranay Verma to protest an attack on Bangladesh‍‍`s Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura.