Yunus govt halts visa-on-arrival month before Bangladesh votes in national election

Bangladesh has put its Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility on hold from January 15 to February 15 in the run-up to its general elections and a referendum. Nationals of neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Nepal, who earlier qualified for on-arrival visas, will also be affected. The governments of these countries have been formally informed about the temporary suspension.

A senior Bangladeshi government official confirmed that the issuance of on-arrival visas will remain suspended for one month, from January 15 to February 15, for citizens of all countries currently eligible for the facility.

While no official reason was cited, the move is widely seen as linked to the forthcoming national parliamentary elections. With election campaigning set to begin on January 22 and senior political leaders expected to travel extensively across the country for rallies, the government is believed to have taken this step as a precautionary security measure to safeguard border regions and avert any unrest during the poll period. Similar steps have reportedly been adopted during previous elections.

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Separately, Bangladesh has also halted visa services at its major missions in India. Officials have indicated that these services are unlikely to resume before the completion of the elections. The parliamentary elections, along with a public referendum on certain reforms, are scheduled for February 12.

In the lead-up to the general election and the referendum, Bangladesh has intensified its internal security measures. The military has been deployed across the country, and army personnel are setting up security checkpoints in various locations. The interim government has already granted the military magisterial powers. In addition to the army, the police force has also been instructed to remain extremely vigilant in carrying out their duties.

With inputs from agencies