Dhaka suspends visa service in India, seeks US visa bond exemption
Dhaka (PTI): Bangladesh’s interim government on Thursday said it has asked its key missions in India, including at New Delhi, to suspend visa services over security concerns.
Foreign Affairs Adviser M Touhid Hossain told a media briefing at his office that Bangladesh has also sought reversal of a recently imposed visa bond requirement by the United States.
“What I have done is that I have asked our three missions (in India) to keep their visa sections closed for the time being. It’s a security issue,” Hossain said.
The adviser’s comments came after Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commission in Kolkata overnight restricted visa services after identical moves in New Delhi and Agartala keeping business and work visas beyond the purview of the restriction.
Bangladesh has diplomatic missions in Mumbai and Chennai as well, where the visa services remained operative.
India had earlier imposed restrictions on visas for Bangladeshi nationals after August 5, 2024, citing security concerns.
Bangladesh ties with New Delhi have remained strained since prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League regime was ousted following a violent student-led street protest in July-August 2024.
Hossain also told reporters that Bangladesh will pursue diplomatic efforts to seek exemption from the United States' newly imposed visa bond requirement calling the decision “certainly unfortunate and painful for us.”
He, however, said the US decision was “not abnormal” as it was not applied for Bangladesh alone and a number of countries were faced with immigration-related challenges in view of the US administration's measure.
Meanwhile, when asked about Bangladesh’s “potential interest” in procuring the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, the Foreign Adviser said, “I can’t tell about this today. (But) Talks are underway. You will know once things are finalised.”
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BCB official calling Tamim 'an Indian agent' invites wrath of Bangladesh players
Dhaka (PTI): A senior Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official calling former captain Tamim Iqbal "an Indian agent" has not gone down well with the players in the country.
Tamim, one of the finest openers to have come out of Bangladesh, had advised the BCB to not be driven by emotion while deciding the way forward on the national team's participation in the T20 World Cup in India.
Nazmul, chairman of BCB finance committee, called the left-hander opener "an Indian agent" in a Facebook post.
"This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent," he wrote.
The post received immediate backlash from former and current cricketers, including Taskin Ahmed, Momimul Haque and Taijul Islam.
Even the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) expressed shock at Nazmul's comments.
"A comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal has come to the attention of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh. We are stunned, shocked, and outraged by it.
"Such a remark by a board official about the most successful opener in Bangladesh's history, who represented the country for 16 years, is utterly condemnable.
"Not only because it concerns a player like Tamim, but such comments about any cricketer of the country are unacceptable and insulting to the entire cricketing community," the players' body said in a statement.
The 36-year-old Tamim played 70 Tests, 243 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals for his country in a fairly accomplished career.
"We strongly protest against this comment. When a responsible board director makes such remarks on a public platform, it also raises serious questions about the code of conduct of board officials," it said.
"We have already submitted a protest letter to the BCB president, demanding a public apology from the concerned board director and that he be brought under accountability. We hope the BCB president will take appropriate action as soon as possible," CWAB added.
Bangladesh wrote to the International Cricket Council to move their T20 World Cup games out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 edition without giving a specific reason.
"Cricket is the life of Bangladesh. A recent comment surrounding a former national captain who has made a major contribution to the game has caused many to reflect," said pacer Taskin.
"I believe that such remarks directed at a former cricketer of the country are not helpful in the interest of Bangladesh cricket. I hope the concerned authorities will consider the matter seriously and adopt a more responsible stance in the future," he said.
Mominul added: "The comment made by BCB director M Nazmul Islam regarding former national captain Tamim Iqbal is completely unacceptable and insulting to the country's cricketing community. Such behaviour towards a cricketer is in direct conflict with the board's responsibility and ethics," said Mominul.
"A senior cricketer was not given even the minimum respect; instead, he was deliberately humiliated in public. Such remarks show a lack of even basic decorum regarding where and how to speak while holding such a high responsibility.
"I strongly condemn this comment and firmly demand a public apology from the concerned director and that he be brought under accountability. I call upon the BCB to take swift and strict action," said Mominul.
