Indian Visa Centres Closed in Bangladesh Following Security Threats

Dhaka: India has closed two visa application centres in Rajshahi and Khulna in Bangladesh, citing the prevailing security situation in the country. The decision was announced by the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC).

“In view of the current security situation, we wish to inform that the visa application centres at Rajshahi and Khulna will remain closed. All applicants who had obtained prior appointments to submit their applications will be given new slots at a later date,” IVAC said in a statement.

The move comes amid recent security threats directed at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and a series of provocative anti-India statements made by Bangladeshi political leaders.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s longstanding ties with Bangladesh. “India shares a friendly relationship with Bangladesh rooted in its Liberation War and strengthened through various developmental and people-centric initiatives. We support peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive, and credible elections in a peaceful environment,” the MEA said in a statement.

The developments follow political unrest in Bangladesh after the administration’s crackdown on student-led protests. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death by a special court in Dhaka in connection with the government’s actions against the protests. Following the 2024 unrest, Hasina fled the country and is currently reported to have sought refuge in India.