India is likely to provide Bangladeshis with its e-Tourist Visa (eTV) facility, which will allow citizens of this country easy and hassle-free entry into India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to announce the new electronic visa scheme for Bangladeshis during his next month's visit to Dhaka, according to a highly-placed source in New Delhi.

The scheme aims at providing Indian visas online to travellers of designated countries in a very short time, apparently to end decades-old complaint about cumbersome and delayed visa procedures of the Indian government.

Modi is expected to make the announcement before a large gathering of teachers, students and academicians to be organised at the Dhaka University.

If offered, Bangladeshis whose sole objective of visiting the neighbouring country would be recreation, sightseeing, meeting friends or relatives, short duration medical treatment or casual business visit would be eligible for the visa facility.

“This [eTV facility] will be a gift from the Indian prime minister to the people of Bangladesh,” the source in New Delhi told The Daily Star, adding, “The Indian side wants to make the announcement as a unilateral gesture by India for the Bangladeshi people.”

“Modi will make certain positive announcements which will be pleasant surprises. e-Tourist Visa could be one of them,” the source said.

“Modi is such a politician who can take any major initiative going beyond the structured negotiations of officials,” it added.

India and Bangladesh are likely to sign a series of agreements during Modi's visit to Dhaka likely on June 6-7, ushering in plans for road, rail and port connectivity and energy tie-ups.

Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, are expected to flag off Kolkata-Dhaka-Tripura, and Dhaka-Shillong-Guwahati bus services.

Indian eTV fee is $60 per person, excluding interchange charge for credit or debit cards. The validity of the visa will be 30 days from the date of arrival in India, according to the website of Indian e-Tourist Visa.

According to officials, people with eTV can enter India through nine designated airports -- Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Trivandrum.

However, the foreigner can exit from any of the authorised Immigration Check Posts in India. eTV is allowed for a maximum of two visits in a calendar year.

India launched eTV facility in November last year for 45 countries.

With the latest addition of China, the total number of countries under the scheme went to 76.

Indian media says Modi-led government has decided to extend the scheme to 150 countries by the end of this fiscal year.

Some 6.50 lakh Bangladeshis visited India with valid visas last year, according to an official estimate.

The introduction of eTV, many say, will increase the number every year as getting Indian visas will be hassle-free and quick.

While getting visa, Bangladeshis often face trouble due to delays in visa delivery, long procedural hassle, difficulties in online application and long queue for submitting passports for visa clearance.

Talking to The Daily Star, Gopi Kishan Sureka, a jute exporter from Kushtia, said Bangladeshis who have regular business relations with India will benefit immensely with the introduction of eTV.

“Due to complexities in current visa procedures, we have to communicate with our Indian business partners through emails and telephones. But you know, face-to-face discussion is always a better option,” he said.

Gopi said both the countries should introduce eTV facility for its citizens as businessmen from India also face similar difficulties in getting Bangladeshi visas.

Mohammad Zakaria, a private service holder in Dhaka, said he had planned to go on holiday in India with his family of four.

But he changed his mind after failing to submit his visa form online despite repeated attempts.

He is now going to another country.

eTV ELIGIBILTY

According to the Indian e-Tourist Visa website, the visa facility would be available for the passports that have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India.

For availing the facility, international travellers should have return tickets or onward journey tickets, with sufficient money to spend during his or her stay in India.

Applicants of the countries eligible for the facility may apply online minimum four days in advance of the date of arrival in India with a window of 30 days. For example: If you are applying on September 1, you can select the arrival date any day between September 5 to October 4, says the website.