Amid changes in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations and growing closeness between the two countries, the interim government has removed the requirement for Pakistani nationals to seek security clearance before applying for visas.
The clearance requirement was introduced in 2019 amid tensions and extensive security measures.
However, this new policy removed such hurdles when it was introduced through an announcement by the Security Services Division (SSD) of the Home Ministry on December 2.
The change came a day before Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Khaleda Zia in Dhaka on December 3.
It gained particular attention after the Bangladesh government allowed direct cargo ship movement from Karachi to Chittagong in November.
Zia’s party has historically maintained close ties with Pakistan, unlike Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, which took a more pro-India stance. Uncertainty is also increasing regarding Bangladesh’s new diplomatic and political approach.
“This is not a sign of change but a balancing act by Bangladesh. Bangladeshi officials have been continuously saying that they want friendly relations with India, however India is not reciprocating this. They not only gave asylum to Hasina, but the politicians are half- Making inflammatory comments based on incomplete facts and propaganda on Bangladesh,” Mubashar Hasan, an expert on Bangladesh politics and executive director of the Sydney Center for Policy and Analysis, told ThePrint.
“So it seems that by normalizing relations with India’s arch rival Pakistan, the Bangladesh administration is signaling that it will no longer view South Asian politics through an Indian lens. In the long run, can Bangladesh continue to tolerate this? The West – especially the US – looks at South Asia through an Indian lens and having said that the US is an important ally for Bangladesh, India should also realize that its neighborhood policy is in a shambles.
The security clearance raises serious questions for India’s security, especially in the North East as there are growing concerns that the evolving political scenario in Bangladesh could help extremist groups in the region.
