Bangladesh to fully restore tourist visa services for Indians from Monday

Bangladesh will fully restore tourist visa services for Indian citizens from Monday, ending a temporary suspension imposed on security grounds. A foreign ministry official confirmed that all diplomatic missions in India have been instructed to resume issuing tourist visas without any formal announcement, as the earlier halt had not been publicly notified.

The suspension, which came into effect from January 15 to February 15, was implemented by Bangladesh’s missions in India, and similar steps were taken in Bhutan and Nepal around the election period. While tourist visas were largely paused, other categories of visas continued to be processed during this time.

According to the official, missions including the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi and deputy high commissions in cities such as Guwahati, Agartala, Mumbai and Kolkata had continued providing most visa services. Tourist visas, however, were issued only in urgent cases. With a review of the overall situation following the formation of a new government under Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Tarique Rahman, authorities have now decided to resume services fully.

The official clarified that since there had been no formal public notification about the suspension, the restoration would also take effect operationally from Monday without a separate announcement. The move is expected to facilitate cross-border travel that had slowed during the temporary halt.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that India is also preparing to resume all visa services in Bangladesh. Currently, medical and double-entry visas are being issued, and steps are underway to restore other categories, including travel visas. Indian officials have reiterated that bilateral relations are rooted in mutual respect and cooperation, with efforts ongoing to ease travel between the two countries.