Indian High Commission in Dhaka Returns Over 20,000 Passports Amid Suspension of Visa Services for Bangladeshis
Dhaka, 30th September 2024: Following protests and numerous emails, including some threatening ones, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka has returned the passports of over 20,000 Bangladeshi visa applicants. The visa services for Bangladeshi nationals have been suspended indefinitely, leaving these passports in the care of the Indian High Commission.
Government sources confirmed that only a few hundred urgent visa requests are currently being processed, primarily medical, student, and double-entry visas. Indian visa application centres in Bangladesh have largely remained closed since protests led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government last month, which left many applicants’ passports with the High Commission.
Agitated applicants sent multiple emails to the High Commission, one of which included a threat of vandalism. Staff at Indian visa centres also faced heckling, and protests occurred on several occasions. Additionally, threats were posted on social media, tagging the High Commission.
Bangladesh accounted for the highest number of foreign visitors to India, with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and four other consulates issuing at least 16 lakh visas to Bangladeshi nationals in 2023. Of these, 4.5 lakh were medical visas. Until August of this year, India had issued 8 lakh visas, including 2 lakh medical visas. India offers 15 visa categories to Bangladeshi nationals, including those required urgently.
Visa issuance has been restricted since August 5. Besides facing a staff shortage, a decision was made not to issue visas under the current circumstances, except for emergencies like medical cases, students joining courses in India, and double-entry visas for people needing to apply for third-country visas from India.
As Bangladesh lacks the diplomatic missions of many countries, including some European nations, Bangladeshi nationals often need to apply for these visas from India. “We are considering some of these requests for urgent applications, primarily for business travel,” a source said, adding that all pending passports have now been returned.
The source also indicated an increase in visa requests as the Durga Puja festival approaches. Many Bangladeshi nationals traditionally travel to West Bengal for the festival. “A narrative has emerged that markets in Kolkata will be impacted if people are prevented from travelling to West Bengal,” the source added.
