Dhaka (TDI): Dhaka has instructed its major diplomatic missions in India, including the High Commission in New Delhi, to temporarily suspend visa services, citing security concerns. The move highlights ongoing strains in relations between Bangladesh and India.
Foreign Affairs Adviser M. Touhid Hossain, speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, confirmed that the visa sections of the three missions in India would remain closed for the time being. “I have directed our three missions [in India] to keep their visa sections closed for now. This is a security matter,” he said.
The decision followed the overnight suspension of visa services at Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, after similar steps were taken earlier in New Delhi and Agartala. However, business and work visas remain unaffected. Visa operations continue at Bangladesh’s missions in Mumbai and Chennai.
This comes against the backdrop of India imposing visa restrictions on Bangladeshi citizens since August 5, 2024, also citing security concerns. Tensions between the two countries escalated after the Awami League government, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was ousted following violent student-led protests in July and August 2024.
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Relations worsened further when Bangladesh refused to send its national cricket team to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 over security concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate the team’s matches outside India.
In its letter to the ICC, the BCB noted that security worries extended beyond the players to include media personnel, fans, and other stakeholders. The decision followed the removal of fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from an Indian Premier League (IPL) squad amid strained diplomatic ties, though no official reason was given. Bangladesh subsequently banned IPL broadcasts in the country.
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The move to suspend visa services reflects the growing diplomatic friction, signaling a cautious approach by Dhaka in dealing with New Delhi in the current climate.
