Bangladeshis are facing extreme hardship in getting visas for educational, medical, business and travel purposes in various countries. Recently, the visa rejection rate from various countries has increased at an alarming rate. India’s tourist visas are completely closed, and the approval rate for other categories of visas is also low.India, Thailand, China, Tajikistan, Malaysia, and even Europe and America have become difficult for many Bangladeshis. Regular traveler and YouTuber Nadir Nibras said that despite having valid visas for the US, UK, and Australia, his e-visa was recently rejected for three countries.
Travel and visa agencies claim that earlier visas were relatively easy to obtain in Southeast Asian countries. Now the embassies of those countries are also refusing visas to Bangladeshis. ‘The Monitor’ editor Kazi Wahiduddin Alam said, ‘The increasing illegal immigration from Bangladesh and political unrest are among the reasons for this.’
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said that only emergency and medical visas are open on a limited basis. High Commissioner Pranay Verma said, “We are trying to issue medical visas on a priority basis. Gradually, other categories will also be opened.”
The picture is similar in the United States and other Western countries. Many students are returning disappointed after not getting visas despite being admitted to various universities. Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nazrul Islam said, “There are no specific statistics on visa rejections, but now all countries have increased their scrutiny.”
According to VFS Global and related sources, political unrest and the trend of submitting fake certificates are also contributing to the increase in visa rejections.
