New Delhi – The High Commission of Bangladesh in New Delhi has declared that all consular services suspended and visa facilities will be suspended until further notice.
A notice posted on the mission’s board on Monday informed the public that this decision was made due to unavoidable circumstances.
“Due to unavoidable circumstances, all consular & visa services from the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi are temporarily suspended until further notice,” notice read.
“Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted,” it further said.
As regional concerns grow, international voices have begun calling for calm. Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin has urged both nations to reduce tensions, stating that “the sooner, the better.”
He emphasized that neighboring countries should be guided by a spirit of mutual trust and confidence to resolve their differences.
This development follows a recent demonstration, on 20th December, where a small group of protesters gathered in front of the mission.
Although the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the police contained the situation without violating the security, the Dhaka officials have expressed serious concerns. According to reports by the Foreign Adviser in Bangladesh, the High Commissioner was threatened during the protest.
With consular services suspended, many individuals who rely on these documents for business, medical travel, or family visits now find themselves in a state of uncertainty.
Rising Tensions and Security Concerns
The Indian Visa Application Centre in Chattogram also closed a day earlier citing security reasons after protests near the Assistant High Commission of India. Such mutual pauses in the consular services are an alarming indication that political unrest is interrupting civilian services.
The demonstrations in India also allegedly were associated with the assistance of the murder of a garment employee in Mymensingh, where people demanded more security of minorities in Bangladesh.
This has prompted the two countries to call in the high commissioners of each other to have formal complaints registered.
Over the last week, visa centers in cities such as Dhaka, Khulna and Sylhet have been closed down partially or have seen the deployment of more security.
