Amid confusion owing to anti-CAA protests, Deputy Foreign Minister Shahriar Alam, who was expected in Delhi cancelled his visit.
Alam was expected to participate in the annual multi-lateral conference, the Raisina Dialogue that is hosted by the Ministry of external affairs.
This isn't the first such cancellation by a Bangladesh minister owing to protests and clashes between police force and civilians ever since the government announced the passing of the Citizenship Bill in December 2019.
The first diplomatic hit was Japan's PM Shinzo Abe cancelled his tour of the Northeast. This was followed by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan cancelling their respective visits to India in December.
While the foreign minister was supposed to visit India for the 11th Delhi Dialogue and Sixth Indian Ocean Dialogue to be held in New Delhi, the home minister was due to visit Shillong for a three-day private visit.
In the last week of December, Bangladesh denied a visa to a West Bengal minister Sidiqullah Choudhury, who was vocally critical of the CAA. Choudhury was planning a personal visit to Bangladesh.
According to a notification sent by the Home Ministry on Friday, all provisions of the CAA will come into force from January 10.
The cancellation of Alam's visit comes amid tension between the two countries over the contentious citizenship act and NRC exercise, as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah in December saying that Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh “found it impossible” to undertake their religious activities in the country. Last month the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, AK Abdul Momen, delivered a cautious warning to India over the citizenship act stating that the act repressed minority rights. Momen later denied making the statement.
The Citizenship Act or CAA is the first to make religion a test of citizenship. According to the government, the act will benefit non-Muslim refugees fleeing religious persecution from Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh. The passing of the act in the parliament has sparked furious nationwide protests, with more than 20 dead in Uttar Pradesh alone and lakhs taking to the streets across the country.
Spurts of violence have also been seen in other states like Delhi, Northeast, Bengal and in South India.
