DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim government has ordered the temporary suspension of visa services at its key diplomatic missions in India, citing security concerns, in a move that reflects the deepening strain in relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.
Foreign Affairs Adviser M Touhid Hossain said on Thursday that Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi and its Deputy High Commissions in Kolkata and Agartala have been instructed to close their visa sections until further notice.
“What I have done is that I have asked our three missions [in India] to keep their visa sections closed for the time being. It’s a security issue,” Hossain told reporters, according to The Daily Star.
The decision followed the overnight restriction of visa services by the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, after similar measures were already taken by missions in New Delhi and Agartala. However, business and work visas have been exempted from the suspension.
Bangladesh continues to operate visa services at its missions in Mumbai and Chennai.
Diplomatic ties between the two neighbours have remained tense since the ousting of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government following violent, student-led protests in July and August 2024. India had earlier imposed visa restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals after August 5, 2024, also citing security concerns.
The relationship deteriorated further after Bangladesh declined to send its national cricket team to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, citing safety issues. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) subsequently requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s matches outside India.
In a detailed letter to the ICC, the BCB expressed concerns not only for players’ safety but also for visas for media personnel, fans, and other stakeholders, noting that the decision aligned with the government’s position.
Tensions escalated after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from his Indian Premier League (IPL) squad amid worsening diplomatic relations, though no official reason was provided. Following the incident, Bangladesh banned the broadcast of the IPL and formally informed the ICC that it would not play its T20 World Cup matches in India.
