International Desk, 8th August: Due to the escalating political turmoil in Bangladesh, all Indian visa application centers in the country will remain closed until further notice. This move comes in the wake of massive protests that led to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and subsequent asylum in India.
The Indian Visa Application Centre has informed applicants via its website that they will be updated about the next application date through SMS, and passports should be collected on the next working day. The notice reads, “All Indian visa application centres will remain closed till further notice due to the unstable situation. The next application date will be informed through SMS, and it is requested to pick up the passport on the next working day.”
This closure follows India’s evacuation of 190 non-essential staff members and their families from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Monday, following the collapse of the Hasina-led government. Despite the evacuation, all Indian diplomats remain in Bangladesh, and the diplomatic missions continue to operate. India also has assistant high commissions or consulates in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Sylhet, besides the High Commission in Dhaka.
The unrest in Bangladesh, which began in June with student protests against a job quota system favoring families of 1971 Liberation War veterans, has escalated into widespread violence. Initially peaceful, the protests turned violent after police intervention and have since grown into a movement against Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. The ongoing chaos has led to significant vandalism and attacks on Hindu-owned properties and temples.
Amidst this turmoil, an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus and supported by the military is set to be sworn in on Thursday, even as violent protests continue.
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