Bangladesh mission in Delhi begins receiving tourist visa applications from Indians
To signal the change, the notice declaring the temporary suspension of tourist visa services, which had been on the walls of the visa counter at the Chanakyapuri Diplomatic Zone since December last year, was taken down
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi today (21 February) set in motion the process of resuming normal tourist visa services for Indian nationals, two months after the abrupt suspension of the facility.
A senior official in the diplomatic mission's visa section, wishing anonymity, told The Business Standard that the High Commission has begun receiving tourist visa applications from Indian citizens again.
To signal the change, the notice declaring the temporary suspension of tourist visa services, which had been on the walls of the visa counter at the Chanakyapuri Diplomatic Zone since December last year, was taken down this morning.
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The official clarified that while tourist visas had been entirely halted, other categories have remained partially operational under specific conditions.
"Only tourist visa issuance was halted and restrictions were placed on other visa categories. Since visa services are conducted on a reciprocal basis, business and work visas were kept outside the purview of the restrictions," the official said, adding that there is no need to "resume" those categories.
The Bangladesh High Commission had also made exceptions for emergency cases and special events, such as the recent parliamentary election in Bangladesh, during which several Indian journalists were granted visas for election coverage.
The move by the commission comes just a day after Aniruddha Das, India's assistant high commissioner in Sylhet, informed Bangladeshi media that steps were already being taken to fully resume all visa services for Bangladeshis at the Indian missions.
Consular and visa services between the two neighbours were largely suspended in December as bilateral relations deteriorated amid heightened diplomatic tensions over a host of issues.
