Bangladesh has resumed full‑fledged visa operations for Indian citizens across all categories, marking the first major step towards normalising bilateral ties after months of political turbulence. All Bangladesh visa centres in India- including the High Commission in New Delhi and consular offices in Kolkata, Agartala, Mumbai and Chennai- are now functional, with over 13,000 visas issued to Indians since services resumed around February 20, 2026.
These cover business, tourism, medical and family‑visit categories, reflecting a broad resumption of people‑to‑people movement.
Delhi’s phased approach to visa resumption
India, while responding to Dhaka’s push for reciprocity, is moving more cautiously and plans a gradual restoration of visa operations for Bangladeshi nationals over the coming weeks. Officials in the national capital say that services were never completely shut down after security‑related concerns emerged in late 2025 but were severely restricted, with decisions taken on a case‑to‑case basis, especially for medical and family‑emergency cases.
Currently, visa processing for Bangladeshi citizens is operating at only about 15–20 per cent of pre‑December 2025 capacity, with priority given to medical and urgent family‑visit applications.
The move to normalise visas follows a period of heightened tension after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and the subsequent interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, which adopted a hostile stance towards India. Relations began to recalibrate after the new BNP‑led government took charge, with Delhi and Dhaka engaging in a series of diplomatic contacts to reset the relationship. During Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman’s visit to India last month, visa normalisation was cited as one of the key issues, with Dhaka seeking early reciprocation from Delhi on easing restrictions.
Economic, energy and people‑to‑people links at stake
Once visa processes are fully restored on both sides, officials expect a renewed focus on economic cooperation, energy connectivity and other points of convergence. High‑level political engagements, including possible ministerial and parliamentary visits, are also likely to be planned in the coming weeks to consolidate the thaw.
India has already taken practical steps, such as shipping diesel to Bangladesh to help ease its energy shortage in the context of the West Asia conflict, signalling a shift from rhetoric to concrete cooperation.
Impact on cross‑border travel and tourism
Bangladesh accounts for roughly one‑fifth of India’s foreign tourist arrivals, with medical treatment, business travel and visits to friends and relatives forming a major share. In 2023, around 21.2 lakh visitors came from Bangladesh, a figure that dipped only slightly to about 17.5 lakh in 2024 but crashed to roughly 4.7 lakh in 2025 due to political tensions and tightened visa rules. Visa appointments were significantly cut after violent protests outside Indian missions in Chittagong and Sylhet in mid‑2024, which deepened security‑related caution in New Delhi.
Expansion of consular infrastructure and future outlook
With new Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi set to take charge soon, there is an expectation that India will move quickly to restore full‑scale visa operations, including more robust appointment systems and expanded staffing at consular sections. Officials note that Indian nationals mostly apply for business and tourist visas through New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, while Kolkata and Agartala see a large number of family‑visit applications, underlining the deep cross‑border social and economic ties.
As consular channels on both sides stabilise, the resumption of visas is expected not only to revive travel but also to create the conditions for broader diplomatic and economic dialogue between Dhaka and Delhi.