Bangladesh summons acting Indian envoy over Assam CM’s remarks
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh on Thursday summoned acting Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka, Pawan Badhe, and conveyed its concerns over recent remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to officials, Director General (South Asia) Ishrat Jahan met Badhe in the afternoon and formally communicated Dhaka’s position. An official familiar with the development said Bangladesh viewed the comments as “disparaging” to bilateral relations and expressed its displeasure to the Indian side.
The move comes in response to a statement made by Sarma on April 26, in which he claimed that 20 foreign nationals had been apprehended in Assam and “pushed back” into Bangladesh.
In a post on X, Sarma wrote: “Rude people don’t understand soft language. We continuously remind ourselves of this prophetic line when we expel infiltrators from Assam who don’t leave themselves. For instance, these 20 illegal Bangladeshis who were PUSHED BACK last night,” according to Indian media reports.
Bangladesh raised concerns over the tone and content of the remarks, stressing that public statements capable of straining ties between the two neighbouring countries are counterproductive. It also underscored the importance of exercising restraint while addressing sensitive bilateral matters.
The development highlights ongoing sensitivities surrounding migration and border-related issues between India and Bangladesh, which have periodically surfaced in public discourse.
