India reopens tourist visas after nearly two years

India offically opens the issuing of tourist visas for Bangladeshi citizens from today (28 June, 2026), nearly two years after suspension following the political changeover in Bangladesh in 2024.

Dinesh Trivedi, the newly appointed Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, announced the decision at the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park on last Thursday (25 June, 2026).

Visas initially issued through five centres -- Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Sylhet and Khulna -- with operations expected to expand further in the future.

According to a statement from the Indian High Commission, security concerns following the events of August 5, 2024, forced Indian missions in Bangladesh to scale down visa operations. The statement said the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Dhanmondi was ransacked and set on fire, five IVACs came under attack, and Indian personnel working on development projects faced threats.

Despite the security challenges, India continued operating visa centres in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Sylhet and Rajshahi to meet humanitarian needs, particularly for patients seeking medical treatment, it said. India has been issuing more than 1,500 visas daily across all categories except tourist visas, it added.

Trivedi, who arrived in Dhaka on June 12, presented his credentials to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban earlier today before making the announcement.