Indian Visa Centres in Bangladesh Open Limited Slots for Urgent Medical and Student Visas

Dhaka: Days after massive protests by students and the ouster of Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, Indian Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh's major cities have begun offering limited appointment slots for Bangladeshi nationals requiring urgent medical and student visas.

The services are being offered in Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet, and Khulna.

"In addition, these five centres have also opened limited appointment slots for urgent cases where Bangladeshi students and workers need to travel to third countries and for which they already have visa appointments with foreign embassies in India," the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Bangladesh said in a statement.

"These services will remain limited in nature until IVAC resumes its normal operations at a later date," the statement added.

Bangladesh has been experiencing turmoil since mid-July, with massive student protests against a controversial quota system in government jobs. The protests ultimately led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5. Over 600 people have died since the protests began.

Currently, an interim government led by 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is running the country.