Bangladesh recalls 5 envoys, including ambassador to India
What's the story
In a major diplomatic shake-up, Bangladesh's interim government has called back five of its envoys, including the ambassador to India.
An anonymous foreign ministry official confirmed this on Thursday.
The envoys based in Brussels, Canberra, Lisbon, New Delhi, and the permanent mission to the United Nations in New York have been told to head back to Dhaka right away.
Political upheaval
Political unrest leads to interim government in Bangladesh
The recall follows significant political shifts in Bangladesh, leading to the formation of an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.
This was triggered by violent protests that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India on August 5.
Diplomatic tension
Political unrest and violence strain India-Bangladesh relations
The political unrest in Bangladesh, which was primarily driven by students, led to more than 700 deaths.
This has strained the country's relationship with India.
The two nations share a 4,000km border and maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal.
Following these political changes, minority groups in Bangladesh have reported attacks on Hindus. However, the interim government maintains that these incidents are politically motivated rather than religiously inspired.
Internal dissent
Recall orders stir discontent within Bangladesh's foreign service
Recall orders from Bangladesh's interim government have reportedly caused discontent within the country's foreign service.
Notably, many of the recalled envoys were not political appointees.
Among those affected is Mustafizur Rahman, the high commissioner to India, who was nearing retirement.
Rahman has previously served as Bangladesh's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva and as an envoy to Switzerland and Singapore.
Diplomatic dialogue
India and Bangladesh discuss bilateral ties amid unrest
Amid the ongoing political turmoil, India's high commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, met with Bangladesh's de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain in Dhaka on Wednesday.
They talked about strengthening bilateral ties and getting regular bilateral mechanisms back on track.
This meeting came after the interim government failed to set up a meeting between Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at last month's UN General Assembly in New York.