India suspends Chittagong visa operations in Bangladesh amid rising tensions

IVAC Bangladesh said that the Indian visa operations at the Chittagong centre will  "remain suspended" from December 21 until further notice, in a brief statement on Sunday.

"The announcement for reopening the visa centre will be made after reviewing the situation."

The suspension was prompted by unrest and security threats, including attacks and vandalism triggered by the death of a prominent youth leader, Sharif Osman Hadi, which led to stone-hurling at the AHCI residence and other incidents in Chittagong.

Hadi, 32, rose to prominence during the mass student-led uprising of mid-2024 that culminated in the ouster of long-serving prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

On December 12, Hadi was shot in the head by masked gunmen at the election rally in central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area. He died undergoing treatment in Singapore on December 18.

On Saturday his funeral was held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament under heavy security and Hadi was laid to rest beside the mausoleum of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.

India reopened its visa application centre in Dhaka on Thursday after a one-day closure amid security concerns, while temporarily suspending services at two other centres in Rajshahi and Khulna amid attempts by anti-India demonstrators to approach Indian diplomatic missions.