Sheikh Hasina’s exile, the killing of Hadi, and Hindu lynching: A complete timeline of what happened between India-Bangladesh. All you need to know

Recent protests outside diplomatic missions of India and Bangladesh have caused growing tensions between the two countries, marking a significant downturn in their bilateral relations. This has happened in the backdrop of various developments involving former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s exile in India, as well as increasing security concerns that both governments have expressed.

In the past few days, both India and Bangladesh have summoned each other's envoys, leading to the shutdown of visa centers in both countries due to protests outside their respective high commissions. While protests in Bangladesh saw police stopping demonstrators marching toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, the Indian High Commission in New Delhi faced significant opposition, especially from groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), protesting the alleged persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh. This protest came in the wake of the recent lynching of a Hindu man named Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh.

Tensions have only intensified with the political unrest in Bangladesh, particularly following the death of prominent student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. His assassination sparked widespread violence, further destabilizing the country.

Here is a detailed timeline of key events that have taken place so far

• November 17: A Bangladeshi court sentences Sheikh Hasina to death in connection with a violent student-led uprising in 2024. India’s foreign ministry expresses concern about the stability in Bangladesh, while Dhaka demands the return of the deposed PM from India.
• December 12: Sharif Osman Hadi, a key student leader involved in the protests against Hasina, is shot by masked gunmen while leaving a mosque in Dhaka.
• December 15: NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah makes controversial remarks suggesting that Bangladesh could harbour separatists and sever ties with India, particularly affecting the northeastern states of India.
• December 17: A protest march demanding the return of Hasina and other exiled leaders is blocked by Dhaka police. India reacts by summoning Bangladesh’s high commissioner and voicing concerns over the security of its mission in Dhaka.
• December 18: Osman Hadi succumbs to his injuries, sparking new protests across Bangladesh. Meanwhile, a Hindu worker named Dipu Chandra Das is lynched by a mob, allegedly due to an insult to religion, though later reports indicate a workplace dispute may have been the cause.
• December 20: Protests in New Delhi lead to a group gathering outside the Bangladesh mission. Security concerns prompt the closure of India’s visa application center in Chattogram, Bangladesh.
• December 21: India condemns the “brutal killing” of Dipu Chandra Das and expresses deep concern over the situation in Bangladesh. India also rejects allegations of a security breach at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
• December 22: Further protests occur at Bangladesh’s visa centers in Siliguri, West Bengal. In response, Bangladesh suspends visa services in Siliguri, Delhi, and Tripura.
• December 23: Bangladesh’s foreign ministry summons the Indian envoy, citing incidents of vandalism at Bangladesh’s visa centers and protests outside its high commission as reasons for the worsening diplomatic environment.