Thailand makes U-turn on visa rules for Indians. You can now travel visa-free, but...

Government to House panel: Sheikh Hasina not allowed to conduct political activities from India

In the wake of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent remarks that she might return to Bangladesh by the end of this year, the government has told a Parliamentary panel that the former Bangladesh PM is not permitted to conduct political activities from India. On Thursday, Bangladesh Law Minister M Asaduzzaman said that Hasina is likely to be arrested instantly on her return from India. The panel noted that while extending such humanitarian consideration, India has strictly adhered to the principle that no political activity is directed against any other country from our territory. In its latest report on the ‘Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship’, the Committee recommended that “the government should continue to uphold its principled and humanitarian approach… while ensuring that such situations are managed with due sensitivity”. The parliamentary committee also sought an early normalisation of visa processing for Bangladeshi nationals, expressing concern that reduced visa processing volumes for Bangladesh nationals harm public perception and bilateral ties. India resumed tourist visa services for Bangladeshi nationals on June 28, 2026, ending a two-year suspension that began in July 2024 following political unrest and security concerns. With the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996 between India and Bangladesh set to expire this year, the panel has urged the government to initiate discussions with Dhaka “without further delay”. Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ...