Bangladesh and India are planning to introduce ‘short stay visas’ for people living in border areas of the two countries to help them meet their relatives and trade across the border.
Such short stay visas are likely to be issued by the immigration authorities for three days to one week in order to increase people-to-people relations between the neighbours, said diplomatic sources in Dhaka.
No passport will be required to get the short stay visa, but the immigration authorities will issue a pass-like card with a photograph of the pass-holder.
The Border Security Force (BSF) of India had recently proposed the new visa, and both the Bangladeshi and Indian governments are scrutinising the proposal.
However, the launch date of the short stay visa is yet to be finalised.
The BSF had recently sent the proposal to the government authorities to introduce the ‘short stay visa’ like a token visa for the people living in the border areas.
“The matter is now in the hands of the two governments. The authorities are yet to take a decision in this regard,” sources said. “The people in the border areas of the two friendly neighbours would benefit if such a visa is introduced,” they said, adding: “There are so many countries in the world that have introduced short-term visas for their people in border areas and Bangladesh and India can do it too.”
An official of the Indian high commission in Dhaka confirmed that the Indian authorities have already informed their Bangladeshi counterparts for taking necessary steps in this regard.
At present, Bangladesh and Myanmar issue one-day passes for the border people of the two countries.
However, no such facility exists between Bangladesh and India.
At present, around 5,000 Bangladeshis and 2,000 Indians cross over to the other country daily through the Benapole-Petrapole border.