NEW DELHI: India has shut down visa centres in Khulna and Rajshahi in Bangladesh amid calls by a Muslim nationalist group to sever India’s northeast that are linked to the country through a “chicken’s neck” corridor, reports said on Thursday.

Hindustan Times newspaper quoted officials as saying there had been protests in Khulna and Rajshahi on Thursday, where the two visa application centres were located.

The centres were shut down amid protests in Bangladesh over India providing shelter to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs had on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, and lodged a strong protest over the deteriorating security situation in Bangladesh.

It highlighted in particular concerns over plans by extremist elements that could threaten the safety of the Indian mission in Dhaka, according to an earlier HT report.

Protesters in Khulna and Rajshahi call for Hasina’s return to Bangladesh

“We expect the interim government to ensure the safety of missions and posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations,” the external affairs ministry said in a readout.

According to people familiar with the matter, one of the triggers for summoning the Bangladesh envoy was a controversial speech delivered earlier this week by National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah. Mr Abdullah had, in his speech, claimed that Bangladesh could shelter separatist forces from India and sever the country’s seven northeastern states.

Meanwhile, Dhaka police on Wednesday also stopped a group of protesters marching towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka’s Gulshan area. The protestors were demanding the return of deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India during the July uprising last year, according to Daily Star.

The official said that there had been protests in Khulna and Rajshahi on Thursday. “Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down,” the official added.

In Rajshahi, a march had been organised by ‘July 36 Mancha’ toward the Indian Assistant High Commission, which began at 12:30pm (local time) from Bhadra Mor in the city, PTI reported.

The march proceeded towards the office of the Indian Assistant High Commission, but was stopped midway due to police intervention. When the march began, cops stopped the procession by putting up barricades about 100 metres before the Assistant High Commission office.

Following this, participants staged a sit-in protest in front of the barricades and requested for permission to move ahead. Similar protests were also called in Khulna on Thursday, according to the Press Trust of India.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025