India has told Bangladesh it will consider its request for easier visa norms even while citing regional difficulties.
Government sources said Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his meeting with Bangladesh counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal in New Delhi recently promised to consider Dhaka’s request.
Visiting Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan pressed New Delhi to ease restrictions on the issuing of long-term visas and the opening of more entry points in north-eastern region for Bangladeshi nationals.
But, sources said, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who was part of the Indian delegation, informed the Bangladesh side about associated problems.
Bangladesh wanted India to ease visa processing for its people. It also urged India to allow their nationals separate ports of entry and exit to make travel convenient.
Bangladesh also requested India to provide long-term visas to senior Bangladeshi citizens and 1971 freedom fighters.
But any suggestion of easing visa norms remains a sensitive issue in the Indian northeast. According to reports, at least 43,000 Bangladeshi nationals, who entered India with valid documents, have disappeared during the last four years, whereas only 19,995 such persons could be deported within that period.
Several mass organisations in the north-eastern states are against any such move.