Bangladesh\u2019s repeated appeals to European Union member states to establish visa centers in Dhaka have yet to yield results, leaving thousands of Bangladeshi citizens facing increasing difficulties in securing visas for study, employment, and travel to Europe. Despite formal requests from Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, particularly to those EU countries that currently process Bangladeshi applications through their embassies in New Delhi, no significant progress has been made in opening facilities either in Dhaka or in neighboring countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The issue has become more pressing since the formation of the interim government, which coincided with strained relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. Following visa restrictions imposed by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh, cross-border travel to India has become almost impossible for Bangladeshis. This development has compounded the challenges for those seeking visas from European countries that require applications to be submitted in New Delhi, forcing Bangladeshis to look for alternatives abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a high-level meeting on December 9 last year, attended by 19 representatives from EU embassies based in both Dhaka and New Delhi, Dr. Yunus urged European nations to relocate or establish visa centers closer to Bangladesh. He emphasized the difficulties faced by Bangladeshi students applying to European universities, who often experience delays and denials due to the lack of accessible visa processing facilities. His appeal was supported by Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, who cited Bulgaria\u2019s decision to relocate its visa processing for Bangladeshis to embassies in Indonesia and Vietnam as a positive example for other EU states to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these efforts, only three countries \u2014 Romania, Bulgaria, and Kazakhstan \u2014 have responded positively. Since September last year, Romanian embassies in Thailand and Vietnam have been accepting Bangladeshi applications, while Bulgarian embassies in Vietnam, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan began processing visas from October. Additionally, Bulgaria temporarily allowed applications through Indonesia, and Kazakhstan has permitted submissions via its Bangkok embassy since January this year. Beyond these three countries, no other EU member has taken similar steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The absence of visa centers in Dhaka has hit hardest in cases where applications must be submitted for countries such as Portugal, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, and Austria \u2014 none of which have embassies in Bangladesh. Securing visas through third countries like Thailand, Vietnam, or Indonesia has proven both costly and time-consuming, placing a significant financial burden on ordinary citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A senior official at Bangladesh\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that setting up a visa office involves lengthy bureaucratic approvals and considerable financial and staffing commitments. For this reason, countries have been slow to act, weighing their own strategic interests alongside Bangladesh\u2019s requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some progress has been made, however, through multilateral arrangements. On December 8 last year, the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka announced that, in partnership with VFS Global, it would begin accepting applications for Schengen visas on behalf of eight additional European countries: Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Slovenia. This has eased access for some applicants, but large gaps remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, only nine EU member states \u2014 Germany, Italy, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and Hungary \u2014 maintain diplomatic missions in Dhaka. Several non-EU European countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia, Norway, Kosovo, Vatican City, and Turkey, also have embassies. However, for the majority of EU countries, Bangladeshi citizens still depend on missions located in New Delhi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a national address on August 5, Dr. Yunus reaffirmed his government\u2019s commitment to addressing these visa-related challenges for overseas Bangladeshis. He stressed that easing access to European visas was a priority, as millions of Bangladeshis depend on international opportunities for higher education, employment, and family connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain echoed these concerns, pointing out that Bangladeshis are now resorting to applying for visas in Vietnam or even Pakistan\u2019s Islamabad \u2014 despite the absence of direct flights between Dhaka and Islamabad \u2014 due to the impossibility of traveling to New Delhi under the current visa restrictions. He warned that the situation is unsustainable in the long run, and urged European countries to adopt practical measures to ensure smoother access for Bangladeshi applicants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of now, however, most European states have yet to respond to Dhaka\u2019s call, leaving applicants stranded between bureaucratic hurdles, geopolitical tensions, and the high costs of traveling abroad simply to file a visa application.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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