India resumes tourist visa for Bangladeshis after 2yrs

India on Thursday announced the resumption of tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals after nearly two years, with applications set to open on Sunday, marking the restoration of its regular visa services.

“I am happy to announce that we are resuming our normal visa operations. Applications for tourist visas can be submitted from Sunday,” said newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi, reports state news agency BSS.

The envoy made the announcement while visiting the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park in the capital this afternoon after presenting his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban this morning.

Trivedi said India would continue to facilitate medical visas in urgent cases on humanitarian grounds.

“I called on the Hon’ble President of Bangladesh and presented my credentials today. I am coming straight to the Indian Visa Application Centre to inspect its operations. It is heartening to see such a large footfall of people here at IVAC,” the High Commissioner said.

He said visas would continue to be issued through the five IVACs located in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Sylhet and Khulna.

“We will further scale up our operations in other cities gradually,” he added.

“We hope that this will further strengthen the people-to-people ties between our two sovereign nations,” Trivedi observed.

Meanwhile, the Government of India has accorded Trivedi the rank and status equivalent to that of a Union Cabinet Minister for ceremonial purposes, granting him higher protocol status in India's Table of Precedence.

According to an office memorandum issued by India's Ministry of Home Affairs on June 24, the status has been conferred as a personal measure for the High Commissioner.

The memorandum clarified that the special status would apply only to ceremonial functions.