Bangladesh, India move to restore full visa services
Dhaka has already resumed issuing all categories of visas to Indian nationals, while New Delhi is preparing to gradually scale up visa operations for Bangladeshi citizens
ATT Correspondent 
Bangladesh and India have initiated steps to fully restore visa services, signalling a renewed effort to stabilise bilateral relations after months of political and diplomatic strain.
Dhaka has already resumed issuing all categories of visas to Indian nationals, while New Delhi is preparing to gradually scale up visa operations for Bangladeshi citizens in the coming weeks, reports The Indian Express.
The resumption of visa services has emerged as a key priority in recent diplomatic engagements. During a recent visit to India, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman raised the issue, underscoring the importance of restoring cross-border mobility for trade, tourism and medical travel.
At present, Bangladesh’s visa centres in New Delhi, along with consular operations in Kolkata, Agartala, Mumbai and Chennai, are functioning fully. Dhaka has called for reciprocal measures from India to normalise visa issuance for Bangladeshi applicants.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah said some visa centres had suspended operations in December last year but resumed services in February, marking the beginning of a phased recovery.
Relations between the two neighbours came under pressure following political developments in Bangladesh, including the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and the subsequent interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus. Since the formation of a new government under Tarique Rahman, both sides have moved to re-engage diplomatically.
Officials on both sides indicate that the full restoration of visa services could pave the way for broader cooperation, particularly in trade, energy connectivity and regional mobility. Discussions on high-level political exchanges are also expected in the near term.
Indian authorities noted that while visa services for Bangladeshis were significantly curtailed last year due to security concerns, they were never completely halted. Applications related to medical treatment and family emergencies continued to receive priority.
Currently, India’s visa processing for Bangladeshi citizens is operating at around 15–20 percent of pre-December 2025 capacity. A phased expansion is expected, with a focus on gradually restoring normal volumes.
Diplomatic sources say the anticipated arrival of India’s new High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, could accelerate the process of full resumption.
Data from the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi shows that more than 13,000 visas have been issued to Indian nationals since services resumed on 20 February, covering business, tourism, medical and family travel.
Bangladesh remains a key source of inbound visitors to India, accounting for over 20 percent of total foreign arrivals. Approximately 2.12 million Bangladeshis travelled to India in 2023, followed by 1.75 million in 2024. However, the number dropped sharply to around 470,000 in 2025 amid political tensions and visa restrictions.
Analysts say the restoration of visa services will be critical to reviving people-to-people contact, tourism flows and cross-border commerce, all of which form the backbone of Bangladesh-India relations.
