Bangladesh has temporarily suspended tourist visa services at its Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, affecting Indian nationals planning leisure travel to the country. The decision came into effect this week and is part of a broader tightening of visa operations at Bangladeshi missions in India. Officials said that only business and work visas will continue to be processed at the Kolkata office, while tourist visas and several other categories have been put on hold until further notice. The move has been attributed to security considerations and administrative reasons cited by authorities in Dhaka.

The suspension at Kolkata follows similar restrictions imposed at other Bangladeshi diplomatic and consular offices in India, including New Delhi, Agartala and Siliguri. In addition, Bangladeshi missions in Mumbai and Chennai have also curtailed tourist visa services, limiting processing largely to business and employment-related visas. The decision is expected to impact travel, tourism and people-to-people exchanges between the two neighbouring countries, which traditionally see significant cross-border movement. Tour operators and travellers have expressed concern over uncertainty regarding future travel plans, especially with no clear timeline announced for the resumption of tourist visa services.

Bangladesh authorities have not indicated how long the suspension will remain in place, leaving applicants advised to monitor official updates or explore alternative visa categories where applicable.