Tourist visas to Bangladesh have now been stopped from Kolkata as well. Although no visas have been issued from the Kolkata office for the past 15 days, it has now been conveyed that tourist visas will
not be issued from there.
The Bangladesh Deputy High Commission has not released any official statement, but sources have confirmed that the suspension is in place.
Earlier suspension in New Delhi
Last month, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi also stopped issuing visas. The reason given at the time was the “prevailing security situation”. This marked a major step, as it was the first time Bangladesh suspended visa services from its High Commission in New Delhi.
The visa suspension comes amid ongoing violence and security concerns in Bangladesh ahead of the parliamentary election scheduled for February 12.
Violence and security concerns in Bangladesh
The decision came after India shut down its visa application centres in Bangladesh. These centres were attacked by mobs following the death of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot dead on December 12 by unidentified gunmen. The violence raised serious security concerns for officials and applicants.
In the 15 months since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024, visa services between India and Bangladesh have been affected several times. However, this is the first instance of Bangladesh fully suspending visa services from New Delhi.
India’s visa restrictions earlier
India had suspended its visa facility in Dhaka for the first time during July and August 2024, when the anti-Hasina uprising was at its peak. Visa services were later paused on multiple occasions due to unrest and security issues.
According to officials, India had gradually resumed visa services and was issuing around 2,000 visas daily for Bangladeshi nationals by November this year. Despite this, the latest move by Bangladesh has once again disrupted travel between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the situation remains uncertain, with no clarity on when tourist visa services will resume.
