India set to fully restore visa services in Bangladesh, signalling thaw in ties after Yunus exit

India plans to fully restore visa services in Bangladesh, signaling improved ties after months of strain. The move follows political changes in Dhaka and aims to rebuild relations, ease travel, and benefit citizens of both countries.

Did our AI summary help?

In a signal that ties between New Delhi and Dhaka may be stabilising after months of strain, India has indicated that it will soon restore the full range of visa services in Bangladesh, according to local Bangladeshi media. The announcement came from a senior Indian diplomat posted in the country and has been widely interpreted as a confidence-building step after a prolonged diplomatic chill.

India signals return to normal visa services

Aniruddha Das, India’s senior consular official in Sylhet, said that New Delhi was moving toward fully restoring visa operations across categories. Speaking at the Sylhet District Press Club on Thursday, Das confirmed that services were already expanding beyond the limited categories that had remained operational.

“Medical and double-entry visas are being issued now, and steps are under way to resume other categories, including travel visas,” Das was quoted as saying by Bangladeshi outlet BDNews24.

He underlined the broader intent behind the move, stressing that bilateral ties rest on shared values and mutual regard. “India–Bangladesh relations are founded on mutual respect and honour,” Desh Rupantor quoted him as saying.

A thaw after months of tension

Relations between India and Bangladesh deteriorated sharply after the July–August 2024 agitation that led to the fall of the Awami League government and forced then prime minister Sheikh Hasina out of office. New Delhi, which had enjoyed its closest relationship with Dhaka since Hasina took power in 2009, was increasingly viewed within Bangladesh as having backed an administration that had grown authoritarian in its later years.

Ties hit their lowest point under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. During that phase, India-baiting rhetoric intensified, several anti-India radicals were released from jail, and protests targeting Indian interests became frequent.

Why India suspended visa services

India first suspended visa services nationwide on August 8, 2024, amid widespread unrest and just days after Hasina fled to India. All Indian Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh were shut, with New Delhi citing an “unstable situation” and concerns over the safety of its missions. This marked the first time India had imposed a blanket suspension of visa services in Bangladesh.

While some services were later partially restored, they were largely limited to medical and double-entry visas. By early and mid-2025, issuance picked up slowly but remained far below pre-crisis levels. According to media reports citing diplomatic sources, daily visa numbers fell from around 8,000 before August 2024 to roughly 1,500.

A second major disruption followed in November 2025 after fresh anti-India protests linked to the death of radical leader Osman Hadi. Indian visa centres in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi were closed in quick succession. Bangladesh’s interim authorities responded by suspending visa services at their own missions in New Delhi, Kolkata and Agartala.

A new political context in Dhaka

The political landscape shifted again after the February 12 election, which brought Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman to power. Since then, there have been growing indications that both sides are keen to repair ties rooted in geography, history and deep people-to-people links.

Reflecting this approach, Das emphasised that ordinary citizens stood to gain the most from improved relations. “Ordinary people of both the countries will be the principal stakeholders in this stable, positive, and long-term relationship,” he said, according to Desh Rupantor.

“Our thoughts, values, and cultures have been woven together in a single thread since ancient times,” he added.

The planned restoration of full visa services is being seen in New Delhi as a practical step toward resetting ties, easing travel and signalling that India is ready to move forward as Bangladesh enters a new political phase.