Bangladeshi students studying at Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan are facing growing difficulties due to the temporary closure of Bangladesh visa services in India following protests by several Hindu organisations near the Bangladesh consulate in Kolkata.
The closure of the visa application centre has directly affected students who had planned to travel home during the upcoming Poush Mela vacation. As a result, many Bangladeshi students are now unable to visit their families in Bangladesh.
University sources said there are around 40 to 50 Bangladeshi students currently enrolled at Visva-Bharati, studying at institutions such as Sangeet Bhavan, Kala Bhavan and other departments. While some reside in university hostels, others live in rented accommodation in and around the campus. However, due to the suspension of visa services, their applications to travel home during the holiday period are not being processed.
Complications have also arisen for students who had already travelled to Bangladesh. According to university officials, around 10 to 12 postgraduate students are currently in Bangladesh and are now unable to return to India because of visa-related hurdles.
Classes for Visva-Bharati’s degree courses are scheduled to resume in January, raising concerns among both students and university authorities about possible academic disruptions if the situation persists.
Commenting on the issue, Visva-Bharati University’s Public Relations Officer Atiga Ghosh said, “This is very sad. We hope the situation will normalise soon so that the students do not suffer any further inconvenience.”