Bangladesh Restores Full Visa Services for Indians in Major Thaw with New Government

In one of its first diplomatic overtures, Bangladesh’s newly formed government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has fully reinstated visa and consular services for Indian citizens at its missions across India, just days after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader assumed office.

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, along with consulates in Agartala, Siliguri, and other locations, resumed all visa categories, including tourist, medical, business, work, and others, on Friday. This ends a near two-month partial suspension that began in December 2025 amid heightened bilateral tensions, security concerns, and anti-India protests during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.

The move is widely interpreted as a deliberate signal from the BNP-led government to prioritize mending strained ties with New Delhi and revive people-to-people contacts, trade, medical tourism, and cross-border business. Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Prime Minister on February 17, 2026, following the BNP’s landslide victory in the recent national elections, which concluded the transitional period after the 2024 upheaval that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In a reciprocal development, Indian officials have indicated progress toward fully restoring visa services for Bangladeshi nationals in Bangladesh. India’s senior consular representative in Sylhet confirmed that medical and double-entry visas are already being issued, with tourist and other travel categories expected to resume shortly as part of efforts to normalize relations.

The swift resumption underscores early confidence-building measures by the new administration in Dhaka, coming amid hopes for stabilized bilateral engagement after months of friction. Travelers are advised to consult official websites of the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi or relevant Indian missions for the latest application procedures and requirements.