Bangladesh, India Move to Fully Restore Visa Services

Bangladesh and India have taken steps to fully restore visa operations between the two countries. Bangladesh has already resumed issuing visas to Indian citizens across all categories, while India plans to gradually normalize its visa services in the coming weeks.

According to a report by The Indian Express published on Saturday, visa normalization was a key topic during last month’s visit of Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to India. At present, visa services are fully operational at Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi and its consular offices in Kolkata, Agartala, Mumbai, and Chennai.

Data from the Bangladesh High Commission show that more than 13,000 visas have been issued to Indian nationals over the past two months. These include business, tourist, medical, and family visas.

Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, said that some visa centers that had been temporarily closed in December last year were reopened in February.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited Dhaka in February to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Indian sources said that visa operations were significantly disrupted last year due to security concerns, although they were never fully suspended. Limited visa services, particularly for emergency medical and family needs, continued during that period.

Currently, India’s visa services for Bangladeshi citizens are operating at only 15–20 percent of previous levels, with priority given to medical and family visas.

Officials expect that visa operations will accelerate further once Dinesh Trivedi assumes charge as the new Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh.