Bangladesh mission in New Delhi resumes visa services

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has resumed accepting tourist visa applications from Indian citizens, marking a return to regular services two months after the category was abruptly suspended.

On Saturday 21 February, the diplomatic mission began receiving applications once again, according to a senior official in the visa section. As a visible sign of the shift, the notice announcing the temporary suspension of tourist visas, displayed at the visa counters in the Chanakyapuri Diplomatic Zone since December last year, was removed earlier in Saturday.

The official explained that the suspension had applied solely to tourist visas, while other categories continued in a limited capacity under certain conditions. “Only tourist visa issuance was halted and restrictions were placed on other visa categories. Since visa services are conducted on a reciprocal basis, business and work visas were kept outside the purview of the restrictions,” the official said, adding that there is no need to “resume” those categories.

Even during the suspension, the High Commission processed visas in emergency situations and for special purposes. The official noted that during the recent parliamentary election in Bangladesh, several Indian journalists were granted visas to cover the polls.

The development follows remarks made a day earlier by Aniruddha Das, India’s assistant high commissioner in Sylhet, who told Bangladeshi media that measures were under way to fully restore all visa services for Bangladeshis at Indian missions.

Visa and consular operations between the two neighbouring countries had been largely halted in December amid strained diplomatic ties and escalating tensions over multiple issues.