Bangladesh’s interim government has recalled five envoys back to the country, including the ambassador to India, according to a foreign ministry official who spoke to Reuters on Thursday.
The foreign ministry instructed the envoys in “Brussels, Canberra, Lisbon, New Delhi and the permanent mission to the United Nations in New York” to return to Dhaka immediately, the official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The envoys were directed to transfer their responsibilities promptly and return, the official added, without providing further details. This move comes after the recall of Saida Muna Tasneem, the high commissioner, or ambassador, to Britain, who was also asked to return in a similar manner.
The interim government, headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, came to power in the South Asian country following weeks of intense protests that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 and her subsequent escape to India.
The student-led movement that resulted in Hasina’s ouster claimed more than 700 lives, putting a strain on relations with India. The two countries share a 4,000-km (2500-mile) border and maritime boundaries in the Bay of Bengal.
Although the government maintains that the violence was politically motivated, minority groups in Bangladesh have alleged attacks on Hindus following the political upheaval.