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New Delhi: India will resume issuing tourist visas to Bangladeshi citizens from June 28, bringing major relief to travellers and marking an important step towards restoring normal people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbouring countries.
The announcement was made by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi during his visit to the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park in Dhaka on Thursday.
“I am very happy to announce that we are resuming our normal visa applications for tourist visas, which can be submitted from Sunday, 28th June 2026. We will continue to facilitate medical visas on urgent visas on humanitarian consideration and grounds,” Trivedi said.
Five Visa Centres To Accept Applications
According to Trivedi, tourist visa services will initially be available through five centres in Bangladesh — Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna. He added that the network will be expanded further in the future.
The move is expected to benefit thousands of Bangladeshi citizens who travel to India for tourism, family visits, business-linked movement and other purposes. India has continued to issue visas in several categories, including medical and emergency cases, but tourist visas had remained restricted for nearly two years.
Why Were Tourist Visas Frozen?
India had scaled down visa operations in Bangladesh after attacks on Indian diplomatic and cultural establishments during political unrest in 2024. The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre was vandalised and set on fire, while several Indian Visa Application Centres were also attacked.
Amid security concerns, Indian authorities reduced regular visa operations. However, emergency and medical visa services continued on humanitarian grounds.
Step Towards Normalising Ties
The resumption of tourist visas is being seen as a positive signal in India-Bangladesh relations. It is likely to boost travel, tourism and family-level exchanges between the two countries.
Trivedi, who recently took charge as India’s High Commissioner in Dhaka, said the move would further strengthen people-to-people ties between the two sovereign nations.
