The government has issued special precautions regarding visa issuance for citizens of 14 countries in light of the upcoming Bishwa Ijtema to avoid any unforeseen situations.
A letter signed by the Additional Secretary of the Immigration Branch of the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kaniz Fatema, has been sent to all Bangladesh missions abroad, informing them of this measure, according to media reports from Samakal.
The letter says that visa applications from citizens of countries such as Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, Iraq, Somalia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Sudan, Libya, Chad, Mali, Tunisia, Palestine, and Israel can be processed only after thoroughly verifying the relevant documents.
The decision was made during a meeting held on November 4 at the Ministry of Home Affairs' Public Security Division regarding the Bishwa Ijtema.
The meeting was chaired by the Home Affairs Adviser, Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
In that meeting, it was decided that a list of all foreign guests, including their names, passport numbers, nationalities, birth dates, passport issue dates, and expiration dates, must be submitted by the beginning of January or Tablighi Jamaat Bangladesh to the concerned authorities before December 20.
It is said that the first phase of the two-part Bishwa Ijtema this year will be held from January 31 to February 2 under the leadership of Shura-e-Nizam, and the second phase will be held from February 7 to 9 under the leadership of the Saad faction.