Bangladesh’s caretaker government has ordered the visa sections of its high commission in New Delhi and two consulates in Kolkata and Agartala to close with immediate effect, citing unspecified “security reasons.” The decision, conveyed late on 9 January, follows a week of political unrest in Bangladesh after a spate of attacks on minority communities that Dhaka blames on extremist factions opposed to Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
The closures effectively stop the processing of all categories of Bangladeshi visas in the three busiest Indian posts, halting travel for thousands of Indian businesspeople, medical tourists and relatives of Bangladeshi citizens who normally cross the border each day. Only the consulates in Mumbai and Guwahati remain open, but officials there told travel agents they have no capacity to absorb extra demand.
![Bangladesh Shuts Visa Counters at Three Indian Missions Amid Security Fears]()
For travelers now scrambling to adjust plans, visa facilitation services can be invaluable. VisaHQ, for instance, offers an India-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) that provides real-time updates and assists applicants in rerouting paperwork to still-operational consulates or third-country missions, streamlining documentation and courier logistics during the disruption.
Indian tour operators and medical-travel facilitators said group departures scheduled for January and February have already been postponed. Truckers at the Petrapole–Benapole land port—South Asia’s largest—warned of cascading delays because driver visas cannot be renewed. Companies that rotate Indian technicians into Bangladeshi power and telecom projects are advising staff to postpone travel or apply in third countries such as Singapore, adding time and cost.
Diplomats in New Delhi privately expressed concern that the move could further strain India-Bangladesh ties just as the two governments negotiate a long-term mobility pact covering skilled workers and coastal shipping crews. For now, travellers with urgent humanitarian or business needs face an uncertain wait until Dhaka is confident enough to reopen its visa windows.
The closures effectively stop the processing of all categories of Bangladeshi visas in the three busiest Indian posts, halting travel for thousands of Indian businesspeople, medical tourists and relatives of Bangladeshi citizens who normally cross the border each day. Only the consulates in Mumbai and Guwahati remain open, but officials there told travel agents they have no capacity to absorb extra demand.
For travelers now scrambling to adjust plans, visa facilitation services can be invaluable. VisaHQ, for instance, offers an India-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) that provides real-time updates and assists applicants in rerouting paperwork to still-operational consulates or third-country missions, streamlining documentation and courier logistics during the disruption.
Indian tour operators and medical-travel facilitators said group departures scheduled for January and February have already been postponed. Truckers at the Petrapole–Benapole land port—South Asia’s largest—warned of cascading delays because driver visas cannot be renewed. Companies that rotate Indian technicians into Bangladeshi power and telecom projects are advising staff to postpone travel or apply in third countries such as Singapore, adding time and cost.
Diplomats in New Delhi privately expressed concern that the move could further strain India-Bangladesh ties just as the two governments negotiate a long-term mobility pact covering skilled workers and coastal shipping crews. For now, travellers with urgent humanitarian or business needs face an uncertain wait until Dhaka is confident enough to reopen its visa windows.
