Indian Visa Applications Suspended in Bangladesh’s Chittagong
Dhaka: India suspended visa processing at the India Visa Application Center in Bangladesh’s southeastern port city of Chattogram on Sunday until further notice, following rising tensions following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, local media reported. Hadi, one of the prominent leaders of the student-led protests that culminated in the toppling of the Awami League government led by prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year, was a candidate in the general elections scheduled to be held on February 12.
He was shot in the head by masked gunmen during an election campaign in Bijoynagar district in central Dhaka on December 12. He died while receiving treatment in Singapore on Thursday.
His death triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-throwing at the Indian Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Chattogram on Thursday.
“Due to the recent security incident at Deputy High Commission of India (AHCI) Chittagong, Indian visa processing at IVAC Chittagong (Chattogrm) will be suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice. The announcement regarding the reopening of the visa center will be made after reviewing the situation,” IVAC said in a brief statement. he said.
The decision came into force on Sunday following a recent security incident at AHCI in Chittagong.
In the statement, it was stated that after the security situation is reviewed, another announcement will be made regarding the reopening of the visa application center.
While IVAC manages five centers – Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi, Chattogram and Sylhet, its other four offices remain operational so far, an IVAC official told PTI.
India on Thursday resumed operations at its visa application center in Dhaka, which it had closed due to growing security concerns, but briefly closed two other identical facilities in Rajshahi and Khulna as anti-India protesters tried to march towards Indian missions there.
On December 20, security was strengthened at the Indian Deputy High Commission office and the visa application center in Sylhet, Bangladesh.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Saiful Islam told The Dhaka Tribune on Saturday that the increased security measures have been put in place to ensure “no third party can exploit the situation”.
Hadi, 32, was buried under extra tight security measures next to the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University mosque on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of people attending the funeral prayers chanted anti-India slogans such as “Delhi or Dhaka – Dhaka, Dhaka” and “Hadi brother’s blood will not be allowed to be shed in vain” before the funeral ceremony.
