08 august 2024 : Following the return of non-essential personnel and families from the High Commission in Dhaka to India, all Indian visa application centres (IVACs) throughout Bangladesh have been closed indefinitely due to the worsening security conditions in the country.
“A notice on our website states that all IVACs will remain closed until further notice because of the unstable situation. The next date for applications will be communicated via SMS. Please collect your passport on the next working day,” the announcement indicated.
The reduction of diplomatic presence in Bangladesh on Wednesday marked the Indian government’s initial expression of concern regarding the deteriorating security landscape. Law and order have been significantly disrupted nationwide, with attacks targeting Awami League leaders, their residences, security personnel, and their offices. Statues of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have been defaced, and mobs have stormed both the Prime Minister’s residence and the parliament.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has conveyed in the Rajya Sabha that the government is vigilantly observing the situation affecting minorities in Bangladesh. He also noted that students studying in Bangladesh have returned to India with the support of the Indian Embassy.
Additionally, the Indian government has raised concerns regarding the safety and security of its interests—diplomatic facilities, personnel, and citizens in Bangladesh—placing the responsibility for their protection on the new administration in Dhaka.
Shortly after New Delhi withdrew some of its personnel, Nobel laureate Prof. Mohammad Yunus, the appointed head of the interim government in Bangladesh, urgently called on everyone to “remain calm” and “avoid all forms of violence.”