The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh has begun to spill over into India, with large protests reported outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday. Several Hindu organisations gathered near the diplomatic mission, demanding justice for minorities in Bangladesh and condemning recent incidents of violence. The protest led to heavy security deployment, barricading, and a brief lathi charge by police to control the situation.
The protests come in the backdrop of growing violence in Bangladesh following the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi on December 18 and the shooting of another leader, Motaleb Sikder, in Khulna. Sikder, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), was shot in the head but survived and is currently out of danger, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
In Delhi, groups including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other organisations raised slogans outside the High Commission, seeking justice for Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man who was lynched in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Anticipating the protest, Delhi Police deployed additional forces and paramilitary personnel, setting up three layers of barricades around the mission to prevent any breach. 
Reacting to the demonstrations, the Bangladesh government summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma, terming the protests outside its mission as “unjustified.” Dhaka said miscreants were allowed to gather close to the High Commission, creating panic among staff, though it acknowledged India’s assurance regarding the safety of Bangladeshi diplomatic establishments.
The situation has also impacted diplomatic services. Bangladesh has suspended visa services in New Delhi, Agartala and Siliguri, citing unavoidable circumstances. Earlier, India had suspended visa operations in Chittagong after protesters attempted to storm the Indian mission there.
Inside Bangladesh, security has been tightened for at least 20 political leaders and senior journalists. Editors of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have been provided armed protection after their offices were vandalised and set on fire during protests demanding justice for Osman Hadi. Bangladeshi journalists have expressed serious concern over their safety, saying the situation has gone beyond press freedom and has become a matter of survival.
International reactions have also followed. US lawmakers Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jennifer Rajkumar condemned the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, while UN Secretary-General voiced concern over rising violence and attacks on minorities. Former Indian diplomat Anil Trigunayat described the situation in Bangladesh as “delicate and dangerous” and stressed the need for stability and protection of minority communities.
