NEW DELHI – The government of India announced plans on Saturday to introduce a medical e-visa facility for Bangladesh, in a major relief for the citizens.
The initiative was unveiled as part of a broader agreement between the two nations to commence negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement.
The announcement came as Bangladeshi Prime Minister Haseena Wajid visited India and held talks with Premier Narendra Modi. Besides easing the issuance of visas, the authorities also agreed to establish an Assistant High Commission in Rangpur.
During the high-level talks between the two leaders, ten bilateral agreements were also signed regarding digital cooperation, environmental sustainability, maritime affairs, space exploration, railway connectivity, oceanography, defence strategies, and healthcare.
It is to be highlighted that India is known for medical tourism and welcomes hundreds of thousands of patients due to multiple factors including significant cost savings, modern technologies, sophisticated devices, and superior hospitality.
As far as the statistics are concerned, data released by credit rating agency Crisil implies that the number of medical tourists visiting India is projected to be around 7.3 million in the year 2024.
Despite better medical facilities, patients face difficulty securing visas; however, the announcement for Bangladeshi citizens regarding e-visa issuance is a welcome development and would help both the patients and their family members.
