India and Bangladesh Strengthen Consular Ties in Delhi Dialogue

India and Bangladesh held their fourth Consular Dialogue in Delhi, focusing on visas, mutual legal assistance, and extradition cases. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing people-to-people exchanges, with discussions aimed at improving coordination on consular issues. The next dialogue is scheduled to be held in Dhaka.

India and Bangladesh on Wednesday held wide-ranging talks focusing on issues relating to visas, mutual legal assistance and extradition cases.

The two sides met for the fourth round of the India-Bangladesh Consular Dialogue in Delhi and reiterated their commitment to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges.

They held ''wide-ranging discussions on mechanisms to strengthen coordination and cooperation on consular issues, visa matters, repatriation, MLAT (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty) and extradition cases, etc,'' the external affairs ministry said.

''The two sides also agreed to further strengthen the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate movement of nationals from both sides,'' it said in a statement.

The India-Bangladesh consular dialogue mechanism was instituted in 2017 with an aim to strengthen people-to-people contacts by having a regular channel of communication on issues relating to consular, visa and mutual legal assistance.

''Both sides reiterated their commitment to continue promoting people-to-people exchanges and agreed to hold the next round of the dialogue in Dhaka on a mutually convenient date,'' the ministry said.

Dr. Aman Puri, Joint Secretary (consular-passport-visa division) at the ministry, led the Indian delegation at the talks.

The Bangladeshi team was headed by Rokebul Haque Director General (South Asia), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.