During a meeting with the Indian Media Correspondents Association in Dhaka on 22 October, High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi acknowledged growing frustration over the gap between submitting an online Indian visa form and securing an in-person appointment at the High Commission’s visa wing. The envoy said the mission is “examining why applicants—particularly medical patients—face long waits” and promised “visible improvement” in the coming weeks. Bangladesh is India’s single largest source of medical and short-term visitor visas; pre-pandemic, more than 200,000 Bangladeshis travelled to India annually for treatment. Since 2025, however, appointment backlogs have lengthened, forcing patients to turn to informal brokers. Trivedi did not announce immediate procedural changes but indicated that quotas for patient-category visas could be increased and additional biometric desks opened. For Indian hospitals and corporate medical-service providers that rely on Bangladeshi clientele, faster visa appointments would restore a key revenue stream. On the flip side, mobility specialists sending Indian staff to Bangladesh should monitor potential reciprocal measures, as Dhaka has hinted at tightening business-visa rules if appointment bottlenecks persist. The High Commission’s statement suggests applicants continue to use the existing online portal and await SMS/email instructions. Travel agents in Dhaka recommend booking treatment dates only after receiving a confirmed appointment to avoid rescheduling costs.
Source: Bengal Brief
