The Narendra Modi government has decided to relax visa norms for the citizens of Bangladesh. After changes in visa rules, children below the age of 13, and citizens above the age of 65 would be allowed multiple-entry tourist visas for five years on their arrival in India.
Minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj took this historic step even after the proposal to relax visa norms for citizens of Bangladesh was turned down by the home ministry prior to her maiden visit to the neighbouring country. Millennium Post in its editions dated 22 June and 25 June had reported that Modi government, in a major departure from its earlier stand, was planning to provide visa-on-arrival facilities to SAARC nations. The move was seen as a part of confidence-building measures to strengthen friendly ties with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The proposal was rejected following the opinion sought by the MEA on the matter for including it on the agenda of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj’s upcoming visit to the neighbouring country between 25-27 June.
The visa relaxation was decided in a meeting between Swaraj and her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in Dhaka on Thursday. Swaraj, who arrived in the Bangladesh capital on Wednesday night on her first foreign visit, also met prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
She used the opportunity to hand over a letter addressed to Hasina by Modi. The two sides are also learnt to have discussed a host of bilateral issues, including Teesta river water sharing, ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement.
Minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj took this historic step even after the proposal to relax visa norms for citizens of Bangladesh was turned down by the home ministry prior to her maiden visit to the neighbouring country. Millennium Post in its editions dated 22 June and 25 June had reported that Modi government, in a major departure from its earlier stand, was planning to provide visa-on-arrival facilities to SAARC nations. The move was seen as a part of confidence-building measures to strengthen friendly ties with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The proposal was rejected following the opinion sought by the MEA on the matter for including it on the agenda of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj’s upcoming visit to the neighbouring country between 25-27 June.
The visa relaxation was decided in a meeting between Swaraj and her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in Dhaka on Thursday. Swaraj, who arrived in the Bangladesh capital on Wednesday night on her first foreign visit, also met prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
She used the opportunity to hand over a letter addressed to Hasina by Modi. The two sides are also learnt to have discussed a host of bilateral issues, including Teesta river water sharing, ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement.