India to resume tourist visa services for Bangladeshis
NATIONAL: India is set to resume tourist visa services for Bangladeshi nationals within a month indicating progress in improving strained bilateral relations. Following the April visit of Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi, which marked the first high-profile meeting since the political upheaval in Bangladesh in 2024, Government of India aims to reinstate tourist visa issuance by late May or June, reports said Sunday.
Relations soured after the fall of the Awami League government leading to restrictions on consular activities. Prior to the political shift, India issued around 6,000 to 7,000 visas daily to Bangladeshi citizens, a significant drop to approximately 1,000 to 1,500 per day by early 2026 with most being for medical or emergency reasons.
This upcoming resumption reflects a broader effort to restore normal consular operations and cooperation between the two nations.