B'desh mission in Agartala resumes visa, consular services after 2 months

The Bangladesh Assistant High Commission (AHC) office here on Wednesday resumed all visa and consular services for Indians after two months.

After the breach of security at the Bangladesh AHC office in Agartala, the diplomatic mission of the neighbouring country on December 3 last year suspended all visa and consular services for the indefinite period.

The AHC's acting head and First Secretary Mohammad Al Amin in a notice said that all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala would resume on Wednesday (February 5).

“This is for intimation of all the visa and consular service seekers,” the notice said.

Amin in a notice on December 3 last year had said that considering the security situation, all visa and consular services at the Bangladesh AHC, Agartala, remained suspended until further notice.

Though the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and AHC in Guwahati did not suspend visa and consular services for the Indians, the suspension of such services in the AHC, Agartala, drastically reduced the visit of Indians to Bangladesh via the Tripura border.

Besides the Agartala-Akhaura integrated check post, there are four other operational check posts along the India-Bangladesh border with Tripura through which the Indians and Bangladesh nationals undertook cross-border movements through the valid passports and visas.

After the unrest began in Bangladesh in July, especially after the fall of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5, visits by Indians in the neighbouring country also sharply reduced.

According to Tripura Police officials, during the protest, a delegation of 'Hindu Sangharsh Samiti' met the officials of AHC on December 2 last year and submitted a memorandum to them, urging the caretaker government of Bangladesh to stop atrocities on the Hindu community and protect their lives and properties.

During that time, some activists forcefully entered the complex of the AHC and reportedly "desecrated" the Bangladeshi national flag and the police drove out the protesters immediately.

The police subsequently detained seven persons in connection with the breach of security at the Bangladesh AHC office.

After the December 2, 2024 incident, a massive additional force of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and Tripura police have been deployed in and around the Bangladesh AHC office.

Senior Tripura Police officials have been closely supervising the security of the Bangladesh AHC office.

Meanwhile, West Tripura District Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar K. suspended three Sub-Inspector of police while an Assistant Commandant (a DSP rank officer) was withdrawn from his posting due to their negligence of duty during the December 2 (2024) protests against the atrocities on Hindus in the neighbouring country.

*Agency News.