Diplomats' Families Return as India Designates Bangladesh a ‘Non-Family’ Posting

Until now, the MEA had applied the non-family category only to a small group of high-risk postings such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Wire Staff

Until now, the MEA had applied the non-family category only to a small group of high-risk postings such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

diplomats families return as india designates bangladesh a ‘non family’ posting

File image of Indian and Bangladeshi flags at New Delhi's Hyderabad House. Credit: Cropped from PIB photo.

New Delhi: India had designated Bangladesh as a “non-family” diplomatic posting effective the beginning of this year, requiring Indian diplomats and officials stationed there to serve without their spouses and children.

The decision means Indian personnel posted to Bangladesh will no longer be permitted to take immediate family members with them. Until now, the Ministry of External Affairs had applied the non-family category only to a small group of high-risk postings such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and South Sudan. With this move, Bangladesh has been added to that list.

The development was first reported by BBC Hindi. Sources also confirmed to The Wire that the decision took effect from January 1. Indian officials were to arrange the return of their families within a week, with additional time given if there were school-going children.

Last week, over a dozen families of Indian officials posted across the Indian high commission in Dhaka and four consulates returned to India.

There has been no public announcement from India or any response from Bangladesh.

Relations between Bangladesh and India have been rocky since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina by a students-led movement. She fled to India, where she continues to stay. Bangladesh is set to hold elections on February 12 to elect a new government.

Tensions have escalated further with each side summoning the other's envoys in tit-for-tat moves in December 2025, including India summoning Bangladesh's high commissioner twice over security threats to its missions in Dhaka amid anti-India protests, and Bangladesh summoning India's envoy in response to attacks on its diplomatic posts in India.

Additional friction arose from Bangladesh's refusal to play T20 World Cup matches in India this year after the Board of Control for Cricket in India-mandated release of Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise on non-cricketing grounds, prompting Dhaka to demand relocation to Sri Lanka citing security concerns.

This article went live on January twenty-first, two thousand twenty six, at thirty minutes past twelve at night.

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