December 20, 2017 TnH Global

India and Bangladesh eye travel without visas

India and Bangladesh are moving towards a visaless regime as practised between France and Germany and many European nations, Bangladesh high commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali said on Tuesday at the deputy high commission during the concluding programme of Vijay Diwas. The septuagenarian diplomat said the two nations were working on a World Bank project to execute smooth movement of Indo-Bangla citizens without passport based on the Indian Aadhaar card numbers and the Bangladesh national registry.

Ali, however, is apprehensive that as the system will take time to be implemented, he might not see it in his lifetime. “It can take up to 10 years for implementing this system. Moreover, the Indian Aadhaar card has no mention of citizenship, it is basically a biometric card. A lot of changes are needed to materialise this. A committee has been set up to execute it.”

Ali said he thought up the plan while serving as ambassador in France. “It is no more a dream. Travel without visa is going to be a reality and so there will be no requirement of passport. People will be able to move without visa and efforts are on for this,” he said and added that diplomats and officials are now able to travel without visa.

“Soon, citizens over 65 will be able to move without visa and will immediately be getting a visa for five years. We are concerned with patients and they will get free en-try. Minor children, too, will get that advantage soon.”

Bangladesh minister for road transport and bridges Obaidul Quader, who is also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, said at the event that after the murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, his name was prohibited at Vijay Diwas celebrations for the next 21 years. “India and Bangladesh have faced terrorism and fundamentalism problems, so we need to fight it,” he added.

News Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com