Dhaka: Integrated Indian visa application centre inaugurated

Dhaka [Bangladesh]: A new integrated state-of-the-art integrated Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) was jointly inaugurated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his Bangladeshi counterpart Asaduzzaman Khan at Dhaka's Jamuna Future Park here on Saturday.

The High Commission of India in Dhaka, the new IVAC in Jamuna Future Park will replace the existing IVACs in Motijheel and Uttara from July 15. 

The remaining two IVACs in Dhaka (Gulshan and Mirpur Road) will also be shifted to the new facility by August 31. Thereafter, only one IVAC will be functional for all categories of visa applications without prior appointment, as per a release by the High Commission of India in Dhaka.

The new IVAC in Jamuna Future Park will be a model visa centre. Located in an 18,500 square feet commercial area, the IVAC will have facilities like computer generated token vending machines (expected waiting time will be indicated), comfortable seating arrangements in an air-conditioned waiting area, coffee and soft drinks vending machines, food kiosks and as many as 48 counters for submission of applications.

Separate counters will be reserved for senior citizens, women, freedom fighters and business applicants, the statement added.

A special help desk and counter for services, including printing and photocopying will be accessible at cost price. The location of the new IVAC inside a spacious and secure shopping mall is expected to provide comfortable and seamless visa services to applicants and is expected to reduce waiting time considerably.

"The consolidation of visa application services at the Jamuna Future Park and the provision of amenities, reflect the continuing efforts of the High Commission of India, in collaboration with its outsourced partners, the State Bank of India, to further streamline the Indian visa application process and strengthen people-to-people contacts between India and Bangladesh," the statement continued.

Earlier in the day, Rajnath, who arrived in Dhaka on a three-day visit, met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Rajnath said that he discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest with Hasina.

"Had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. 

Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka today. We discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest," Rajnath tweeted.

Later, Rajnath will inaugurate the Bangladesh-India Friendship building in Bangladesh Police Academy in Sardah. Khan will also host a state dinner in honour of Rajnath later in the day, Dhaka Tribune reported.

On Sunday, Rajnath and Asaduzzaman Khan will co-chair the sixth meeting of the Bangladesh-India home minister-level talks at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The last such talks were held in New Delhi in July 2016.

Rajnath is also scheduled to visit Bangabandhu Museum and Dhakeshwari Temple, as per the Dhaka Tribune report.

On Friday, Rajnath was received by his Bangladeshi counterpart Khan at the Dhaka airport. The Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, hosted a state dinner in honour of the visiting home minister.