Moving to improve bilateral relations, India on Thursday announced the resumption of tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals after a nearly two-year suspension.
The announcement was made by the newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, during a visit to the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka.
Delhi suspended tourist visas for Bangladeshi nationals in August 2024 following political unrest and the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Trivedi announced that tourist visa applications will resume on June 28, at five visa centres, including the one in Dhaka.
This was his first announcement after presenting his credentials to the President of Bangladesh, Mohammed Shahabuddin, Thursday afternoon, signalling that he has been tasked with repairing ties between the two countries.
“I am very happy to be able to announce the launch of general travel visas again. Visa applications can be submitted starting June 28,” Trivedi said, adding visas would be issued from all five centres – Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Sylhet and Khulna – and the process would be expanded further in the future. Urgent medical visas, he said, would continue to be provided for humanitarian reasons.
Last month, The Indian Express reported that India and Bangladesh were planning to resume visa services soon. As both countries sought to normalise their relationship after a period of significant turmoil, the full-scale resumption of visa services was agreed upon by both sides as an important first step.
Bangladesh resumed issuing visas to Indian citizens across all categories following the swearing-in of the Tarique Rahman government in February this year. During Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman’s visit to India in April, the normalisation of visa processes was one of the key topics discussed by Dhaka.
All Bangladesh visa centres in India, including the High Commission in New Delhi and the consular divisions in Kolkata, Agartala, Mumbai and Chennai, have been operational since February 20. In response, Dhaka requested that Delhi promptly reciprocate on the visa issue.
The five IVACs in Bangladesh came under attack in August 2024, and Indian personnel working at development projects were threatened. Due to security threats and the attacks on the High Commission premises, the High Commission of India was forced to scale down visa operations in Bangladesh.
While visa services for Bangladesh citizens were severely hit in view of security concerns, they were never completely shut down.
On Thursday, the new Indian High Commissioner was welcomed to Bangabhaban, the official residence of the President, with a ceremonial guard of honour. He then met with the President and presented his credentials.
“The new Indian High Commissioner has presented his credentials to the Honourable President, beginning his diplomatic assignment in Dhaka,” a Bangabhaban presidential palace spokesman said.
The spokesman said a contingent of the President Guard Regiment offered Trivedi a guard of honour before he presented his diplomatic papers. A PTI report quoted the spokesman saying that the President noted that Bangladesh attached special importance to its relations with India as a close neighbour and a key trade and development partner.
Meanwhile, the Centre has granted Trivedi a status equivalent to that of a Union Cabinet Minister.
An order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Trivedi “has been assigned the equivalent status of Union Cabinet Minister in the Table of Precedence (ToP) as a measure personal to him, without amending the Table of Precedence.”
“The position in the Table of Precedence is for ceremonial functions only,” it said.
Trivedi has succeeded Pranay Kumar Verma, who was the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh for four years until May this year. The Ministry of External Affairs announced Trivedi’s appointment to Dhaka on April 27.
According to figures provided by the Bangladesh High Commission to The Indian Express, over 13,000 visas have been issued to Indian citizens in the first two months since the resumption of operations around February 20. These include various categories: business, tourism, medical and for those travelling across the border to meet family members.
Bangladesh has been India’s top source of foreign tourist arrivals, often accounting for over 20% of total arrivals. A significant portion of these visits is for medical treatment, business, and visiting friends/family, with West Bengal being a primary destination. In 2023, around 21.2 lakh visitors from Bangladesh came to India, according to official statistics, while the number dropped marginally to 17.5 lakh in 2024.
However, Bangladeshi tourist arrivals to India dropped sharply to 4.7 lakh in 2025 (a 73% decrease), largely due to political tensions and visa restrictions.
Once visa processes on both sides are normalised, Delhi and Dhaka would look at other points of convergence including economic ties and energy connectivity. Recently, India transported diesel to Bangladesh to alleviate energy shortages in the wake of the West Asian crisis.
The High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi (left), presented his credentials to Mohammed Shahabuddin, the President of Bangladesh, in Dhaka (Photo: X/India in Bangladesh) 
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