India's visa restrictions after Bangladesh upheaval hit Kolkata and medical tourismCEFR A2
16 Jan 2026
Adapted from Zulker Naeen, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Apurba Nag, Unsplash
In August 2024 a political upheaval in Bangladesh led to the forced ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. India then sharply restricted visas for Bangladeshi citizens, saying it was for security reasons and rising anti‑India sentiment.
Before the limits, India’s High Commission in Dhaka processed about 8,000 visas a day and more than 2.1 million Bangladeshis visited India from April 2023 to March 2024. Now only some emergency medical and student visas arrive in small numbers.
The drop in visitors has hit Kolkata businesses. Hotels, shops and travel agents report far fewer customers, and many people who worked in tourism face hardship.
Difficult words
- upheaval — a big, sudden change that causes problems
- ouster — when someone is forced to leave a job
- restrict — to limit what people can dorestricted
- security — protection from danger, harm or risk
- sentiment — a feeling or opinion about someone or something
- process — to handle or deal with something step by stepprocessed
- hardship — a situation of difficulty or suffering
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might fewer visitors affect workers you know in shops or hotels?
- Have you ever had a visa refused or delayed? How did that feel?
- What could local shops do to help if fewer tourists come?
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