Tidy up house, Touhid suggests on Bangladeshis' visa woes
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Towhid Hossain has identified the use of false documents by applicants as the primary reason behind the growing difficulties Bangladeshi citizens face in obtaining visas, particularly from India and other key countries.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday evening (July 24), he urged a fundamental overhaul, saying: "We have to tidy up our house."
Responding to a journalist’s question about prolonged visa delays, including the suspension of regular Indian visa services and increasing rejections from other nations, Towhid Hossain emphasised that the problem lies not with diplomatic efforts, but with the integrity of applications.
“The Foreign Ministry is like a sales agency,” he explained. “I can only sell what you produce. If the documents are fake, if someone submits false information or uses multiple passports—the system breaks down.”
He noted that while such practices were more common, and often overlooked, two decades ago, today’s advanced verification systems quickly expose fraud.
“There were times when one person could get five passports without scrutiny. That’s no longer possible. These attempts are now easily caught, and that’s why we’re facing serious visa setbacks.”
The Adviser stressed that document forgery and identity fraud have severely damaged Bangladesh’s credibility abroad.
“False documents are now a major obstacle for genuine travellers,” he said. “Many still try to do things the old way, but the world has changed. When applications are flagged, it affects not just individuals—but the reputation of the entire country.”
His message was clear: “We must put our house in order. We must stop these criminal practices at the source. Only then can we begin to rebuild trust and gradually resolve the visa crisis.”
Towhid Hossain called for stronger coordination between the Passport Office, immigration authorities, and law enforcement to crack down on illegal documentation and restore integrity to the system.