Indian Visa
The 'great Indian visa' chase: Why thousands of Bangladeshis are rushing to their 'enemy' state
The urge to cross the border has seemingly eclipsed all previous geopolitical hostility.
Bangladeshis have started sprinting back to Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) the moment New Delhi unlocked its doors.
In an astonishing display of desperation, approximately 140,000 visa applications flooded the system within the first 24 hours of the service resuming.
India suspended regular visas following the massive political upheaval in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, citing security concerns.
While the Indian authorities permitted a trickle of medical, business, and student visas during the freeze, they kept the coveted tourist visa completely out of reach.
That drought has now ended, exposing just how heavily Bangladesh relies on its larger neighbour for leisure, retail, and medical tourism.
Chaos rebounds at Jamuna Future Park
The announcement came directly from the newly appointed Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, during his high-profile visit to the Jamuna Future Park IVAC in Dhaka.
Trivedi confirmed that tourist visas would instantly become active across five major hubs: Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna.
Consequently, Monday witnessed overwhelming scenes at the Dhaka centre.
Newly appointed Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi visits a visa application centre at Jamuna Future Park, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photo: Facebook/@IndiaInBangladesh
Sweating applicants formed snaking queues that stretched across the complex, all waiting hours just to hand over their documents.
Despite the gruelling wait, visible relief washed over the crowds, proving that the desire to visit India far outweighs any nationalistic pride.
Officials plan to phase in visa services in other cities soon to accommodate the relentless wave of applicants.
Taslima Nasrin mocks the sudden U-turn
This frantic rush has not escaped biting criticism from intellectuals who remember the recent wave of anti-India rhetoric in the country.
Renowned exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin took to Facebook to ruthlessly mock the double standards of her compatriots.
Her viral post directly targeted the sudden hypocrisy of the masses now begging for entry into India.
"I really want to know how many of them chanted the 'Delhi or Dhaka' slogan? How many wanted to capture the 'Chicken's Neck'? How many wanted to wage war against India? How many trampled the Indian flag under their feet? How many hate Hindus? How many consider India an enemy? How many among them are anti-India?" Nasrin wrote.
The reality of dependency
The current rush at the IVACs tells a story that contrasts sharply with recent political posturing.
While social media "Boycott India" campaigns made noise for months in Bangladesh, the ground reality shows that 100 percent of that hostility vanishes when a holiday or shopping trip to India is on the line.
Indian diplomatic dominance remains clear.
According to experts, as thousands more queue up daily, Bangladeshis are openly acknowledging that a trip to India remains an irreplaceable part of their lives, regardless of past political friction.
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