Visa operations at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Dhaka resumed on 18 December, just 24 hours after they were suspended due to protests near the High Commission. Centres in Khulna and Rajshahi, however, stayed closed amid what officials described as ‘ongoing security threats’.
The temporary shutdown followed intelligence reports that extremist groups planned demonstrations targeting Indian missions ahead of Bangladesh’s 7 January election. India’s external-affairs ministry summoned Dhaka’s envoy, seeking assurances on the safety of diplomatic premises and applicants.
![Indian visa centre in Dhaka reopens after security scare; two regional offices remain shut]()
While services in the capital have restarted, applicants with appointments in Khulna or Rajshahi will receive new slots once security clears. Mobility managers moving Bangladeshi staff to India for training in Q1 2026 should build extra lead-time into visa workflows and consider rerouting files through Dhaka or the still-open centres in Chattogram and Sylhet.
The incident is a reminder that political volatility can materially disrupt cross-border assignments. Companies with large sales or manufacturing teams in Bangladesh are advised to maintain a rolling security assessment and to store electronic copies of supporting documents off-site in case physical submissions are delayed.
The temporary shutdown followed intelligence reports that extremist groups planned demonstrations targeting Indian missions ahead of Bangladesh’s 7 January election. India’s external-affairs ministry summoned Dhaka’s envoy, seeking assurances on the safety of diplomatic premises and applicants.
While services in the capital have restarted, applicants with appointments in Khulna or Rajshahi will receive new slots once security clears. Mobility managers moving Bangladeshi staff to India for training in Q1 2026 should build extra lead-time into visa workflows and consider rerouting files through Dhaka or the still-open centres in Chattogram and Sylhet.
The incident is a reminder that political volatility can materially disrupt cross-border assignments. Companies with large sales or manufacturing teams in Bangladesh are advised to maintain a rolling security assessment and to store electronic copies of supporting documents off-site in case physical submissions are delayed.
Source: The Economic Times
