A video capturing an extensive queue stretching over a kilometer at an Indian visa center in Bangladesh has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread attention. The footage, shared by a social media user, shows the seemingly endless line outside Asia’s largest mall, Jamuna Future Park, where one of the few remaining Indian visa centers is located.
The user captioned the video, “1 Kilometer Long Line Outside Indian Visa Center At Asia’s Largest Mall Jamuna. The line started inside, involved many corridors, then came outside, and went to the main road. It kept going, going, and going. Who will process your visa, and the embassy is running with limited capacity.
1 Kilometers Long Line Outside Indian Visa Center At Asia’s Largest Mall Jamuna.
The Line Started Inside, Involved Many Corridors, Then Came Out side, Went To Main Road, It Kept Going, Going And Going
Who will process your visa bro?
Majority Of Staff Went Back To India, The… pic.twitter.com/PkXAcbCoOC — Bengali Boys (@iSoumikSaheb) August 26, 2024
This situation arose after India shut down most of its visa centers in Bangladesh following a wave of violent protests that culminated in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The protests, initially sparked by political and economic discontent, escalated into widespread unrest, leading to Hasina’s government being overthrown.
In the wake of the unrest, Bangladesh has seen continued incidents of violence, including targeted attacks on the Hindu minority community. The closure of Indian visa centers has added to the chaos, leaving thousands of Bangladeshi citizens struggling to secure travel permits. The Indian Visa Center was closed on August 5th, leaving many passports already in process. Today, the High Commission announced that passports currently at the visa center will be delivered soon while no new application is being taken.
Many Bangladeshi people have been waiting at the Indian border or trying to sneak inside the Indian territory following the violence. India has deployed a strong line of patrol by the Border Security Force to deter the entry of illegal immigrants.