New Delhi: Days after the Tarique Rahman-led government assumed power in Bangladesh, India is preparing to fully resume visa services in the neighbouring country, signalling a possible thaw in bilateral relations following months of diplomatic strain.
A senior Indian consular official confirmed on Thursday that efforts are underway to restore all categories of visa services in Bangladesh. Speaking at the Sylhet District Press Club, Aniruddha Das, India’s senior consular official in Sylhet, said that medical and double-entry visas are currently being issued, while steps are being taken to resume other categories, including travel visas, according to a report by BDNews24.
Das also assured maximum cooperation from the Indian side to strengthen bilateral ties through smoother visa facilitation. Emphasising the broader relationship between the two neighbours, he said India–Bangladesh ties rest on a foundation of mutual respect and honour, adding that people of both countries remain the principal stakeholders in a stable, constructive and mutually beneficial long-term relationship. He further noted that both nations share a similar outlook and are keen to work together.
Why Was Visa Issuance Suspended By India?
Indian visa centres in Bangladesh had suspended operations amid rising tensions following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, an incident that triggered widespread protests with anti-India undertones. Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh had already been strained after the ouster of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after large-scale protests in July 2024.
An official from the Indian visa centre had earlier told ANI that visa services were halted whenever security conditions deteriorated. “Whenever the security situation turns bad, we are forced to shut down,” the official had said in December.
Bangladesh, too, had imposed reciprocal restrictions in January, limiting visa issuance for Indian nationals at its missions in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. All visa categories were suspended except business and employment visas. Additionally, the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi had indefinitely suspended visa services on December 22 after protests near its premises.
The move by India to restore visa services is being seen as an important confidence-building step and could pave the way for normalisation of people-to-people exchanges, medical travel and tourism between the two countries. The development reflects a cautious but positive shift in diplomatic engagement under the new political dispensation in Dhaka.
