Bangladesh has temporarily halted the issuance of visas to Indian nationals for non-essential travel, introducing what officials described as a “technical pause” amid heightened sensitivities between the two neighbours, The Indian Express has reported.
The decision, taken by authorities in Dhaka, aims to prevent potential security risks to Indian visitors at a time when bilateral relations remain strained. However, visas will continue to be granted in cases involving emergencies or urgent professional requirements. According to officials, Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissions in Kolkata, New Delhi and Agartala have excluded business and work visas from the restriction.
Visa services are also continuing at Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions in Mumbai and Chennai. India had earlier tightened visa norms for Bangladeshi citizens after August 5, 2024, citing security considerations.
On Thursday, Bangladesh’s interim government confirmed that it had instructed its key missions in India, including the High Commission in New Delhi, to suspend visa operations due to security concerns. Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser M Touhid Hossain said the move was precautionary.
“What I have done is that I have asked our three missions (in India) to keep their visa sections closed for the time being. It’s a security issue,” Hossain said. The visa suspension follows an earlier move on December 23, when consular and visa services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi were put on hold owing to what the mission termed “unavoidable circumstances.”
A notice issued at the time stated: “All consular and visa services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi have been temporarily suspended until further notice. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.”
Relations between India and Bangladesh worsened in December after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a leader associated with Dhaka’s July 2024 uprising. Hadi died on December 18, six days after sustaining gunshot injuries in Dhaka. His death triggered protests on both sides of the border, prompting New Delhi and Dhaka to summon each other’s envoys earlier this week to convey concerns over the evolving situation.
Against this backdrop, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and son of former Bangladesh prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, on December 31. During the meeting, Jaishankar expressed confidence that Khaleda Zia’s “vision and values” would continue to “guide the development of the partnership” between the two countries.
