'Bangladesh situation does not warrant India's visa curbs'

DHAKA: The situation in Bangladesh has no red flags warranting a restrictive visa policy for its citizens if they intend to visit any other country, the interim government said Thursday of neighbour India limiting their entry after deposed PM Sheikh Hasina's government was toppled in a student-led uprising.

"India has been categorically saying that visa restrictions will stay 'till the situation normalises'. I don't think there is any situation in Bangladesh that justifies restricting visas for Bangladeshis because nobody else - US, Japan or the EU - has done so," environment, forest and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan told reporters.

She said the interim government led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus wanted "a good, strong relationship" with India. "But it is important in any relationship that we listen to each other, and we understand each other." Without naming anyone, she said the Bangladesh administration was aware that many people wanted for "atrocities" in the country "have taken shelter in India".

Indian high commissioner Pranay Verma spoke to foreign secretary Md Jashim Uddin recently about the changes in visa processing norms causing applications to pile up, sources said.