India suspends visa applications in Bangladesh's Chittagong amid violence after Sharif Osman Hadi's death

India on Sunday suspended visa services at the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chattogram, a southeastern port city in Bangladesh, until further notice, amid violence after the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, according to PTI citing local media reports.

The suspension took effect following a recent security incident at the Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) in Chattogram. Authorities stated that the visa application centre will reopen only after a review of the security situation.

What did IVAC say?

"Due to recent security incident at Assistant High Commission of India (AHCI) Chittagong, Indian visa operations at IVAC Chittagong (Chattogrm) will remain suspended from 21/12/2025 until further notice. The announcement for reopening the visa centre will be made after reviewing the situation,” IVAC stated, reported PTI.

The Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) operates five centres across Bangladesh—in Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Chattogram, and Sylhet. An IVAC official told PTI that the four other centres have continued to function until now.

Hadi's death

Hadi, 32, a key figure in last year’s student-led protests that eventually led to the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was also a candidate for the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 12.

On December 12, he was shot in the head by masked assailants during an election campaign in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area and later died while receiving treatment in Singapore on Thursday.

Hadi was buried on Saturday under heightened security near the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, next to the Dhaka University mosque. Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral prayers, and before the ritual, they shouted anti-India slogans such as “Delhi or Dhaka - Dhaka, Dhaka” and “brother Hadi’s blood will not be allowed to go in vain.”

His death sparked widespread violence and vandalism across Bangladesh, including an incident on Thursday where stones were thrown at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram.

India resumes ops at its Dhaka visa centre

Meanwhile, India had resumed operations at its Dhaka visa centre on Thursday, a day after temporarily closing it due to heightened security concerns. However, the centres in Rajshahi and Khulna were briefly shut as anti-India protesters attempted to march toward the Indian missions there. On December 20, security was also increased at the Indian Assistant High Commission office and the visa application centre in Sylhet.

The enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure that "no third party can exploit the situation", The Dhaka Tribune newspaper quoted the Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of the Sylhet Metropolitan Police Saiful Islam as saying on Saturday.