‘Seven Sisters’ Threat Sparks Diplomatic Storm as India Protests Provocative Remarks from Bangladesh

MEA Rejects ‘False Narratives,’ Demands Safety of Indian Diplomats After Dhaka Provocations

India–Bangladesh ties hit a fresh low on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, as the Ministry of External Affairs summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner M Riaz Hamidullah to lodge a strong protest over provocative anti-India rhetoric and growing security concerns for Indian diplomats in Dhaka.

 The demarche followed inflammatory remarks by National Citizen Party leader Hasnat Abdullah, who publicly warned that Bangladesh could shelter separatist groups and help isolate India’s northeast, even highlighting the strategic vulnerability of the Siliguri Corridor. New Delhi also raised alarm over threats by extremist elements to march towards the Indian High Commission, forcing Indian visa centres in Dhaka to suspend operations.

Rejecting what it called “false narratives,” the MEA criticised the Bangladesh interim government for failing to investigate or share evidence on recent anti-India incidents.

The episode comes amid sustained strain since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, following earlier controversies over remarks by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the “Seven Sisters” and recent tit-for-tat diplomatic summons, marking one of the sharpest downturns in bilateral relations since 1971.