Significant Drop in Bangladesh Visa Issuance in Assam
Decline in Visa Processing
Guwahati, July 11: The number of Bangladesh visas issued in Assam has plummeted by over 60%, indicating a marked decrease in cross-border travel and exchanges between the two nations.
Sources reveal that the three visa processing centers in Assam—situated in Guwahati, Bongaigaon, and Silchar—previously handled 50 to 55 visas daily, but are now only processing about 15 to 18.
This decline is impacting various sectors, notably education and healthcare.
A source noted, "There has been a significant reduction in student visas, especially among medical students from Assam who typically seek affordable medical education in Bangladesh. Families are now reassessing their academic plans due to increasing uncertainty. Over the past year, very few students have applied for new education visas from Assam."
"While many students from Assam continue their medical studies in Bangladesh, the influx of new admissions has drastically decreased," the source added.
"Medical tourism has also experienced a decline. Previously, numerous patients from Bangladesh traveled to Assam for treatment, but those figures have dropped considerably," the source stated.
He mentioned that the majority of the visas currently being issued are tourist visas, with very few student or business visas granted.
The reduction in visa issuance is thought to stem from political unrest in Bangladesh, where a student-led movement led to the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government last year. This situation coincides with India's new trade restrictions on Bangladeshi exports to the Northeast and other areas.
Restricted items include garments, plastic products, furniture, carbonated beverages, baked goods, and cotton yarn. These actions are perceived as a response to Bangladesh's ongoing non-tariff barriers on Indian exports and remarks by Bangladeshi leaders labeling India's Northeast as 'landlocked.'
However, certain essential goods like fish, LPG, edible oil, crushed stones, and garments transported through Kolkata and Nhava Sheva ports are exempt from these restrictions.
In the financial year 2023-24, the bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh reached $14.01 billion, with India exporting $12.05 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh and importing $1.97 billion. India ranks as Bangladesh's second-largest trading partner in Asia, while Bangladesh is India's largest trading partner in South Asia. Assam shares a 262-km border with Bangladesh.
Another source indicated that the issuance of visas to Bangladesh has seen a slight increase in the past three to four days due to an upcoming religious event in the neighboring country.