Hours before scheduled arrival, Bangladesh Foreign Minister cancels India visit

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen has cancelled his three-day visit to India which was supposed to begin on Thursday. According to an earlier advisory issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Momen was scheduled to arrive here at 5:20 pm on Thursday.

Diplomatic sources said Momen cancelled his trip over the situation arising out of the passage of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament. In a statement in Dhaka, Momen said he had to cancel his trip to New Delhi due pressing engagements.

"I had to cancel my trip to New Delhi as I have to participate in the 'Buddijibi Debosh' and 'Bijoy Debosh' and more so as our State Minister is out of the country in Madrid and our Foreign Secretary is in The Hague," he said. A statement released by the Bangladeshi government said the foreign minister decided to cancel his trip given "increasing demand" at home.

There have been massive protests in Assam and several northeastern states against the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslim persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.