Dhaka summons acting Indian envoy over Assam CM remarks

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday summoned acting Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pawan Badhe and flagged remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Director General (South Asia) Ishrat Jahan conveyed Dhaka’s position to the acting Indian High Commissioner in the afternoon, an official told UNB.

Bangladesh described the remarks as disparaging to Bangladesh-India relations and expressed its displeasure to India.

Assam Chief Minister Sarma on 26 April said 20 foreign nationals were apprehended in Assam and pushed back to Bangladesh.

"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," Sarma said in a post on X, according to Indian media reports.

Bangladesh stressed that public statements capable of straining ties between the two neighbours are counterproductive, and highlighted the importance of exercising restraint when addressing sensitive bilateral issues.