Bangladesh wants visa free card to India: Momen
If we can introduce the facility of visa free movement, the cordial relations between the two countries will be further strengthened, he said
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said he suggested to his Indian counterpart the implementation of visa free arrangements to facilitate unrestricted movement between the two countries.
"He [the Indian foreign minister] did not reject my proposal; instead, he expressed their interest in developing such a system," Momen explained during a weekly press briefing by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held at its office on Thursday (12 October).
He stated, "I had a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) conference held in Sri Lanka this week. At the meeting, I extended an offer for visa free travel.
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"During the meeting, one of my acquaintances sent a mobile message, expressing his difficulty in obtaining an Indian visa for medical treatment. I promptly shared this message with Jaishankar and mentioned that I had also heard about recent challenges in obtaining Indian visas.
"In response, Jaishankar assured me that this should not be happening and said he would contact their embassy."
He mentioned that India has established road and rail connectivity with Bangladesh and has generously allowed them to utilize our ports, which has greatly benefited them. He also emphasized that introducing the possibility of visa-free movement could further enhance the cordial relations between the two countries.
Mentioning that India has connectivity with Bangladesh by road and rail, Momen said, "We also let them use our port. It has benefited them a lot. If we can introduce the facility of visa free movement, the cordial relations between the two countries will be further strengthened."
