India is expected to issue tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens from July 1 as the Indian High Commission resumed submission of visa applications from June 28 after two years suspension following the political changeover in Bangladesh in 2024.
On June 25, Dinesh Trivedi, Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, announced the decision at the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) that visas will initially be issued through five centres -- Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna -- with operations expected to expand further in the future.
It is expected that Indian High Commission will issue more than 1200 visas on the first day.
"I am very happy to be able to announce the launch of general travel visas again. Visa applications can be submitted starting June 28. Urgent medical visas will continue to be provided for humanitarian reasons," Dinesh Trivedi told journalists on June 25 while he made the announcement on the reopening of tourist visas.
Trivedi, who arrived in Dhaka on June 12, presented his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on June 25. "I hope that this will further strengthen the people-to-people ties between our two sovereign nations," Trivedi said.
According to sources, security concerns following the events of uprising on August 5, 2024, forced Indian missions in Bangladesh to scale down visa operations. The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Dhanmondi was ransacked and set on fire, five IVACs came under attack, and Indian personnel working on development projects faced threats after July-August, 2024 political changeover.
Despite the security challenges, India continued operating visa centres in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet and Rajshahi to meet humanitarian needs, particularly for patients seeking medical treatment. India has been issuing more than 1,500 visas daily across all categories except tourist visas.
