ASIATODAY.ID, DHAKA – Bangladesh has imposed fresh visa restrictions on Indian nationals, further escalating tensions with New Delhi as political unrest simmers in Dhaka ahead of next month’s general elections, local media reported.
According to The Dhaka Tribune, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry has instructed its deputy high commissions in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai to halt the issuance of nearly all visa categories for Indian citizens. The new policy, which took effect on Thursday, allows only business and employment visas to be processed.
The move marks a significant tightening of travel access between the two South Asian neighbors and comes amid a deepening diplomatic rift.
Earlier, on December 22, 2025, Bangladesh temporarily suspended visa issuance and consular services at its High Commission in New Delhi, the Assistant High Commission in Agartala (Tripura), and the visa center in Siliguri. Consular services were also halted at the Bangladeshi mission in Guwahati, in India’s northeastern state of Assam.
Relations at a Breaking Point
Bilateral relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have deteriorated sharply since 2024, when former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule.
An interim government, led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as chief adviser, took charge in Dhaka.
However, renewed violence erupted in December 2025 after a prominent leader of the 2024 protest movement was shot dead, reigniting nationwide unrest.
India has urged Bangladesh’s interim authorities to ensure the protection of minorities amid the turmoil, while Dhaka has intensified demands for Hasina’s extradition from India.
Death Sentence and Political Exclusion
Tensions escalated further after a Bangladeshi court sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, a verdict she has dismissed as politically motivated and predetermined.
Her party, the Awami League, which dominated Bangladeshi politics for more than a decade, has since been barred from participating in the upcoming general elections scheduled for next month.
With visa restrictions now expanding and diplomatic channels narrowing, observers warn that Bangladesh–India relations may be entering their most volatile phase in years — just as Dhaka braces for a high-stakes electoral showdown. (ATN)
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