Dhaka: Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said that there is no change in policy with regards to entry rules for Bangladesh nationals holding multiple entry visas for visiting India either by road, rail or air and added that the social media posts claiming entry being denied are false.
According to the mission, some reports on social media are falsely claiming that Bangladeshi nationals with multiple entry visas are not allowed to enter India through the Petrapol border post if their previous visit to India is within three months of their current trip. The Indian High Commission has made it clear that this is completely unfounded. No change has been made in the road, rail or air entry rules for Bangladeshi nationals with multiple entry visas. Bangladeshi friends are being urged to avoid such false posts on social media, added the Indian mission in Bangladesh.
The India-Bangladesh relationship is an important element of India's "Neighbourhood First" policy. The year 2021 was of special significance as both countries celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations, five decades of Bangladesh's independence and the birth centenary of its Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The year 2021 marked the Golden Jubilee of the Liberation War of Bangladesh and 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. India and Bangladesh enjoy robust and multifaceted bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, including trade and connectivity, energy and power, water resources, border management, defence and security, culture and people-to-people links. The visit of the President of India Ram Nath Kovind to Bangladesh on the historic occasion of the 50th Vijay Diwas is testimony to the high priority that both countries attach to each other and their desire to further strengthen this relationship based on shared values, mutual trust and understanding.
Earlier, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a State Visit to Bangladesh on March 26-27, 2021 as Chief Guest for the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh in which India had played a significant role.
This was the first foreign visit of the Prime Minister since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. Both the Prime Ministers inaugurated the 'MitaliExpress'- passenger train service on Dhaka-New JalpaiguriDhaka route through the Chilahati-Haldibari rail link. India and Bangladesh celebrated December 6, 2021 as "Maitri Diwas" (Friendship Day) in New Delhi, Dhaka and 18 other world capitals, to commemorate the day on which India extended diplomatic recognition to Bangladesh in 1971. —ANI