On-arrival visa deal with India soon
Bangladesh and India are on a discussion about introducing on-arrival visa for their citizens from April next year.
An agreement is likely to be signed in this regard by Bangladesh Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir and his Indian counterpart Sushil Kumar Shinde during the latter's visit to Dhaka in January,
said Kamal Uddin Ahmed, additional secretary of the home ministry.
On-arrival visas may not be issued for all initially, said home ministry officials. Patients, businesspeople and government officials will be given priority.
Indian media yesterday reported that the central government was planning a new travel agreement with Bangladesh, enabling citizens of both the countries to get visa on arrival.
The facility in the beginning would be available for Bangladeshi patients who go to India for treatment, elderly citizens above 65 and children below 12 years with parents accompanying them, said Indian officials.
Shinde and Alamgir had talks in Delhi a fortnight back about the Bangladesh government providing Indians with on-arrival visas.
Plans are afoot to extend this facility to businessmen and tourists travelling in groups. Such visas may remain valid for two months and travellers who have never overstayed a visa would be eligible for this.
Talks are being held on the possibility of exempting businessmen from reporting to the local police. There are also plans to allow Bangladeshis to enter India with on-arrival visas through Haridaspur-Benapol border, as Kolkata to Dhaka buses ply the route.
Other points can be Gede-Darshana border in case visitors travel by train and the Kolkata and Delhi airports. Similarly, a visa-on-arrival centre may also be opened in Tripura as there is a direct bus link between Agartala and Dhaka.
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