India to resume regular visa operations in Bangladesh

India is set to fully reinstate normal visa operations in Bangladesh, nearly two years after services were significantly reduced following violent protests that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi announced on Thursday that tourist visa applications would begin being accepted from June 28. This announcement came shortly after Trivedi presented his credentials to the President of Bangladesh. He visited the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka, noting its importance as a hub for people-to-people exchanges.

India's visa operations in Bangladesh are its largest globally. Even with curtailed services since 2024, largely due to security concerns, the mission has been issuing between 1,500 to 2,000 visas daily, primarily for medical patients, students, and business travelers. The resumption of normal services is expected to boost tourist visa applications.

In 2023, a total of 1.6 million Bangladeshi citizens visited India. Of these, 60% traveled for tourism, 30% for medical treatment, and the remainder for other purposes. The reopening of full visa services is anticipated to further strengthen the ties and facilitate travel between the two neighboring countries.