India, Feb. 7 -- India on Friday summoned the most senior Bangladeshi diplomat in New Delhi to protest the "persistent negativity" created by the statements of the leadership in Dhaka, marking another downturn in the already fractious bilateral ties even as attacks on houses of Awami League leaders continued across Bangladesh.

The summoning of Bangladesh's acting high commissioner Mohammad Nural Islam by the external affairs ministry was apparently a response to the calling in of India's acting envoy by the foreign ministry in Dhaka on Thursday to protest against "false and fabricated" statements by former premier Sheikh Hasina, currently in self-exile in India.

Islam was summoned to South Block at 5 pm and told it is "regrettable that ...