Bangladesh suspends visa services in Delhi and Siliguri after security incidents

DHAKA (Web Desk) – Bangladesh has temporarily suspended all consular and visa services at its High Commission in New Delhi and halted visa operations in Siliguri following recent security-related incidents, according to media reports on Monday.

In New Delhi, visa issuance has been stopped after a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission raised security concerns. According to the reports, a group of demonstrators gathered near the mission premises, prompting Dhaka to review the safety environment before continuing consular services.

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi later issued a public notice confirming the suspension. “Due to unavoidable circumstances, all consular and visa services from the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi are temporarily suspended until further notice. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted,” the notice stated.

Visa operations have also been suspended in Siliguri, where Bangladesh does not maintain an official diplomatic mission. Visa processing there was being handled through a private agency, VFS Global. The foreign ministry official alleged that members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad vandalised the VFS office and issued threats, leading Dhaka to suspend visa processing at that location as well.

India, however, rejected what it described as “misleading propaganda” in sections of the Bangladeshi media regarding the demonstration outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. Responding to a media query, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the protest was brief and posed no security threat.

“We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident,” Jaiswal said. He clarified that around 20 to 25 people gathered outside the mission on December 20 to protest the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and to call for the protection of minorities in Bangladesh. “There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. The police dispersed the group after a few minutes,” he added, noting that visual evidence of the incident is publicly available.

Jaiswal reiterated India’s commitment to protecting foreign diplomatic missions in line with international obligations. “India is committed to ensuring the safety of foreign Missions and Posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna Convention,” he said, adding that New Delhi continues to closely monitor developments in Bangladesh.

Second student leader shot in Bangladesh days after Sharif Osman Hadi killing

The protest followed the killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, an incident that renewed international concern over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh. Separately, political tensions have also intensified following the fatal shooting of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, with sections of Bangladesh’s political establishment accusing India of interference.

The visa suspension in Delhi comes days after India temporarily shut the Indian Visa Application Centre in Chattogram following demonstrations outside the Assistant High Commission of India in the port city. Indian authorities said services would resume only after a comprehensive assessment of the local security environment.

Despite the latest developments, visa services remain fully operational at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. Officials confirmed that visa operations are also continuing as usual in Assam and Mumbai. For now, the suspension applies only to Delhi and Siliguri, while authorities on both sides assess the evolving situation.