Diplomatic Correspondent :
Australia has announced that it will process visa applications for Bangladeshi citizens directly from its High Commission in Dhaka, ending the long-standing practice of handling such applications through its mission in New Delhi, India.
This significant development marks a breakthrough for the Interim Government of Bangladesh, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The announcement came during a phone conversation between Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, and Bangladesh’s Adviser for Home Affairs, Lieutenant General (Retd)
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Thursday.
Home Adviser shared this information during a meeting of the Advisory Council held at the Chief Adviser’s Office on Thursday, stating that the decision would take immediate effect.
The Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, later confirmed the development.
This policy shift is the result of persistent diplomatic efforts by the Interim Government to ease the longstanding difficulties faced by Bangladeshi travelers, particularly students and patients, in securing Indian visas after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government last year.
During his visit to Bangladesh in October last year, Australian Minister Burke was formally requested by Chief Adviser Prof Yunus to consider processing visas from Dhaka.
That appeal has now borne fruit, representing a notable diplomatic achievement for the interim government.
After the collapse of Sheikh Hasina government in a massive mass upsurge in July Revolution last year, Bangladeshi citizens began to experience hardships in obtaining Indian visas for third countries, primarily because many embassies and consular offices are located in India.
Students, medical patients, business travelers, and tourists frequently had to travel to India to complete visa procedures for other countries.
Bangladesh repeatedly requested India to issue visas more swiftly and flexibly for such cases, especially for students needing to attend universities abroad, but India curtailed its visa issuance under the same excuse of staff shortage.
Due to India’s non-cooperation in issuing visas, Bangladeshi citizens including students as well as patients are facing troubles.
Australia’s decision to process visas from Dhaka will bring substantial relief to thousands of Bangladeshis who seek to study, work, or travel to Australia.
Students will now be able to complete their visa applications locally, without the need to depend on India’s facilitation or face the burden of traveling to New Delhi.
This move will also reduce costs significantly and cut down visa processing times, sources said.
Additionally, this decision underscores a broader trend among several countries reconsidering their visa processing strategies for Bangladesh.
Some nations have already indicated flexibility in allowing Bangladeshi citizens to process visas through embassies in nearby countries other than India.
However, Australia’s move to shift this facility directly to Dhaka marks a decisive step in reducing Bangladesh’s dependence on India for consular services.
This development is expected to encourage other nations to follow Australia’s lead in setting up or expanding their consular services in Dhaka.
Bangladeshis have long called for greater accessibility to visa services within their own country, and the pressure may now increase on other foreign missions to reconsider outdated or inconvenient processing systems.
Moreover, this move may contribute positively to Australia-Bangladesh bilateral relations, opening avenues for increased people-to-people contact, educational exchange, and trade opportunities.
