India has announced the closure of all visa application centers in Bangladesh until further notice, following the resignation and flight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid intense unrest. The online portal for Indian visa applications now displays a message stating, “All IVACs will remain closed till further notice, due to unstable situation. Next application date will be informed through SMS & It is requested to pick up the passport on the next working day.”
This decision comes a day after India evacuated non-essential staff and their families from its High Commission and consulates in Bangladesh. Despite the evacuations, Indian diplomats remain in the country and the missions continue to function, according to government sources.
India operates a high commission in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, along with consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet. The political turmoil, marked by massive protests against Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government, has led the 76-year-old leader to resign and seek refuge in India.
An interim government, supported by the military, is currently being formed. Nobel laureate and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus is set to lead this caretaker government.
In a recent address to Parliament, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed the situation in the neighboring country. He highlighted that there are approximately 19,000 Indian nationals in Bangladesh, including 9,000 students, many of whom have returned to India following the outbreak of protests. The Indian government is maintaining close contact with the Indian community in Bangladesh and is closely monitoring the situation, particularly concerning the safety of minorities living in the country.