Tourism suffers, Bangladesh-India trade maintains robust growth  

Though India restricted issuing of visas to Bangladeshis since ungracious departure of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, the trade between Bangladesh and India remains robust and healthy, according to data of Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and Indian sources.       

The 5-year trade data of Bangladesh and India shows that gradual increase in the bilateral trade over the 5 years. In FY 2020 – 2021, the value for Bangladesh’s import from India was 8,200.75 USD and the export to India was worth 1,264.74 USD.  In 2024-25, the import from India was 11,065.87 USD and export to India was 1,844.76 USD.  

Bangladesh declined in export to India than that of previous FY 2023 – 2024 (worth 2,021.24 USD) due to political instability.  And in 2025-26 FY as the EPB data released every month substantiates that Bangladesh is achieving the target fixed by Ministry of Commerce.

Meanwhile, the India's recent push-in of individuals to Bangladesh across the border has created a tension between two  neighboring countries.  

According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed several hundred individuals into Bangladesh since 6 May. These push-ins are reportedly taking place in remote and uninhabited areas along the borders of Kurigram, Khagrachari, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Chuadanga.

This move is being widely viewed as a blatant violation of international laws, border protocols, and long-standing bilateral agreements between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi patients spend 2.00-3.00 US dollars in medical expenses in different hospitals in India per year. India has squeezed the regular visa process since July 2024 with no sign of normalizing this year, sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, Bombay and New Delhi said.

Since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, the India-Bangladesh relations show no sign of improvement as India has restricted issuing visa to Bangladeshis on national security ground, sources in Dhaka and New Delhi.

The Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India--led by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin respectively--- held on December 9, 2024 was presumed to ease the visa complication. But the visa process has not been improved, rather complicated to cause sufferings to poor and middle-class patients and businessmen.

Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India during the concluded year 2024 dropped by 20 per cent compared to the previous year 2023  amid political rift between two neighbouring countries.

The USA topped the top tourist arrivals with 18.14 per cent, followed by Bangladesh with 17.57 per cent, UK 10.28 per cent, Australia with 5.20 and Canada with 4.78 per cent.

However, during the month of December 2024, a total of 53,495 Bangladeshis visited India, perhaps the lowest in the last 20 years, sources said.

According to the Tourism Board of India, a total of 16,96,735 Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2024 as against approximately 2.12 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2023. Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata and New Delhi said that India will not normalize the visa process in case of Bangladesh unless Bangladesh has elected political government. 

However, the Indian visa process will not get momentum like that Bangladesh enjoyed during the regime of   Bangladesh Awami League, said a Bangladesh  diplomat who worked in New Delhi in the past.

Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai said that New Delhi seem uncomfortable over dealing major issues with the interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Professor Dr Mohammad Yunus. The Indian hegemony  has suffered a lot during the tenure of Nobel laureate Professor Dr Mohammad Yunus that is likely to regain during the political government  in Bangladesh. India is most likely to resume visas to Bangladesh at the previous level once  the political government is established in Bangladesh, sources said.  

Meanwhile, Bangladesh High Commissioner to New Delhi M Riaz Hamidullah met Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee at her office today and discussed issues of mutual interest.

The meeting with Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee is important in the context that business and tourism in West Bengal suffered a lot during the last one year against the restricted visas issued by the High Commission of India. 

The Modi government has some tug of war with Mamata Banerjee that very limited issuing of visas to Bangladesh is hurting business and tourism in West Bengal with a target to de-popularize the  Mamata Banerjee government. 

The West Bengal chief minister expressed her strong hope of strengthening the traditional relations between the people of West Bengal and the people of Bangladesh.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mentioned that the traditional linguistic, cultural and the ties between the people of West Bengal and Bangladesh based on common values, go beyond economic and commercial ties.

Sources in Bangladesh missions in India that Bangladesh has not restricted issuing visas to Indians like Indian high commission in Bangladesh did over the last one year. Indian high commission in Bangladesh  issued some 2 lakh visa monthly to Bangladeshis every month.  Bangladesh retained top position (some 20-22 per cent ) in terms of receiving Indian visas until June 2024.  The Indian government has virtually stopped publishing the monthly statistic since January, 2025.

Until December, 2024, the Indian government published the statistics since December 2024. However, some unofficial statistics show that Bangladesh retained 2.00—3.00 per cent of total tourist visited India during the last six months of the 2025. Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai said that Indian government is likely to start issuing visas to Bangladeshis after the national election is held in  Bangladesh.