Bangladesh suspends visa services in India as another student leader shot at

The visa and consular services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and the Assistant High Commission in Agartala have been suspended until further notice. A notice displayed at the Bangladesh High Commission in the Capital said all visa services had been temporarily halted due to “unavoidable circumstances”, regretting the inconvenience caused. Similar notices were put up in Agartala, effectively freezing people-to-people travel from India to Bangladesh.

The move comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Bangladesh, including mob violence, targeted attacks and threats against Indian diplomatic facilities.

In contrast, India has continued visa operations in Bangladesh, underscoring humanitarian considerations, particularly for patients seeking medical treatment. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Monday visited the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka to review services and assess the security situation.

During his visit, Verma interacted with several applicants, a large number of whom were seeking medical visas to travel to India. The Indian High Commission said the visa centres continue to operate in Dhaka, Khulna, Sylhet and Rajshahi despite the evolving security environment.

Operations at the Jamuna Future Park IVAC were briefly suspended for a day last week following serious threats to the Indian High Commission and its installations in Bangladesh. Later, the centre resumed functioning, with applicants affected by the temporary closure being offered early alternative appointment slots.

However, the IVAC in Chattogram remains closed after a mob attack at the entrance of the Assistant High Commission of India on the night of December 18-19. The incident involved stone throwing, intimidation and threats, raising serious concerns over the safety of Indian officials and local staff. Indian authorities have since sought enhanced security assurances from Dhaka.

Adding to the sense of instability, Bangladesh witnessed another violent incident on Monday when a student leader and labour organiser, Motaleb Sikder, was shot at in Khulna. Sikder, the Khulna divisional head and central organiser of the National Citizens Party-affiliated labour wing Sramik Shakti, was attacked around 11.45 am at a house near Al Aqsa Mosque Road in the Sonadanga police station area, local media reports said.

He was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where doctors said he was now out of danger. According to police and medical officials, the bullet did not penetrate the skull but grazed his left ear, cutting the scalp before exiting. The incident has further fuelled concerns over deteriorating law and order in parts of Bangladesh.

Amid the rising tensions, Russia stepped in with a public call for de-escalation. Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin on Monday urged both countries to prevent further deterioration in ties, stressing the need for stability ahead of Bangladesh’s forthcoming national elections.

Speaking at a press conference at the Russian embassy in Dhaka, Khozin said a conducive environment was essential and that reducing tensions with India should be a priority. “The sooner this happens, the better,” he said, recalling India’s role — along with Russia — in the 1971 Liberation War that led to Bangladesh’s independence.

The suspension of Bangladesh’s visa services in India is expected to impact business travel, tourism, family visits and academic exchanges, particularly in the North-East, which has close economic and cultural links with Bangladesh.

New Delhi has so far refrained from a reciprocal suspension, with officials indicating that humanitarian considerations, especially medical travel, remain paramount. However, officials acknowledged that the situation remains fluid and dependent on security assurances from Dhaka.