Indian Visa Application Centers in Bangladesh will be indefinitely closed due to the “volatile situation” after mass protests forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as prime minister and flee to India earlier this week.
Such a decision came after the evacuation of 190 non-essential Indian employees and their families posted at the Dhaka High Commission, VisaGuide.World reports.
The indefinite closing of the Indian visa centres in Bangladesh means that for an unspecified period of time, Bangladeshi citizens will not be able to obtain a visa that permits them entry to India.
Non-Essential Staff & Their Family Members Evacuated
Amid the volatile situation in the country, New Delhi evacuated non-essential personnel and their families from the High Commission and its consulates in Bangladesh. However, Indian diplomats remain in the country, and missions are operational.
All IVACs will remain closed till further notice due to the volatile situation. The next application date will be notified by SMS, and request for the passport will be received the next working day.
In addition to the High Commission or embassy in the capital, Dhaka, India has assistant high commissions or consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet.
In this regard, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Parliament that India has been regularly in touch with Dhaka authorities and the Indian community in Bangladesh.
As violence continued throughout July [in Bangladesh], we repeatedly counselled restrain and urged the situation be diffused through dialogue. Similar urgings were made to various political forces with whom we were in touch.
Protests in Bangladesh Began in June of This Year Over Controversial Labor Quota
In June this year, protests fueled mainly by students erupted over a contentious labor quota system that allocated 30 percent reservation to the families of veterans from the 1971 Liberation War. Initially peaceful, these protests turned violent as the police cracked down on the protesters. More than 300 protesters have been killed so far.
The demonstrations then led to a mass movement against Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule, demanding the resignation of the 76-year-old leader.
Commenting on this situation, Jaishankar revealed that about 19,000 Indian citizens in Bangladesh, of which 9,000 are students. According to him, many students returned to India after the protests broke out.