Reminder: On-arrival visa suspension in BD still effective

Dhaka: The Home Ministry on July 8 sent a letter to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, reminding them of the suspension of on-arrival visas.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, visa on-arrival to Bangladesh had been closed since June 2020. Yet, many foreigners are still arriving at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and applying for on-arrival visas.

This has led to an inconvenience for both parties that the home ministry would like to notify. Thus, they reminded the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and the civil aviation ministry in a letter stating “only foreign investors and businessmen operating in Bangladesh are eligible for the on-arrival visas currently”.

To prevent Covid-19 infection, the government first announced the suspension of on-arrival visas in Bangladesh from March 15 to March 31 last year.

Later in June, last year, the duration of the suspension was extended for an indefinite period, officials at HSIA said. However, the issuance of on-arrival visas continued for only foreign investors and businessmen.

Officials of HSIA said they got instruction from the Home Ministry to abide by the ongoing suspension of visas on arrival for foreign nationals.