After the fall of the Awami League government, the Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) in Bangladesh has suspended all visa services except for emergency cases, such as medical visas.
The suspension has created significant challenges for nearly 50 Bangladeshi doctors who are unable to participate in the Membership Examination of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) in the UK.
Though the MRCP exam can be taken in India or Singapore, these doctors are now facing uncertainty due to visa issues. Despite submitting applications, they have yet to receive any response from IVAC.
India, which hosts ten MRCP examination centers, has traditionally been a destination for many Bangladeshi doctors seeking to take the exam.
However, limited seats in these centers have always made it difficult for candidates to secure a spot.
Talking to the daily Prothom Alo, one affected MRCP candidate said: “For the first time, Evercare Hospital in Bangladesh is organizing the exam on October 22, but there are only 45 seats. That’s why we had to apply to the Indian centers. We registered in July for 200,000 takas, but since the visa process was suspended on August 5, we haven't been able to proceed with our visa applications.”
Another doctor voiced similar frustrations, he said: “The MRCP exam is a prestigious qualification for doctors worldwide, and many Bangladeshi doctors excel in it, contributing to the country's economy. Unfortunately, the visa situation has left many of us in a bind. We've reached out to the Indian High Commission, but have yet to receive any help.”
IVAC halted operations in Bangladesh on August 5, following the political crisis. While the centers resumed limited services on September 2, visa processing for all categories except medical visas remains suspended.
This issue is not only affecting doctors; Bangladeshi students seeking to study in Europe are also in limbo. Many of them face delays due to the IVAC's suspension.
Since countries like Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Lithuania, and Austria do not have embassies in Bangladesh, students applying to universities in these nations must attend visa interviews in India.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh has provided some relief for students applying to universities in Bulgaria.
The ministry has arranged for students to submit their visa applications at Bulgarian embassies in Vietnam, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan.
Students who had been preparing to apply at the Bulgarian embassy in New Delhi are now advised to attend interviews in Hanoi, Islamabad, or Astana instead.
