A convoy carrying the body of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader, who died after being shot in the head, moves along the crowd after the funeral prayer, in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters
India on Sunday suspended visa operations at the Indian Visa Application Centre in the Bangladesh's second-largest city Chittagong until further notice in the wake of heightened tensions following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, local media reported.
Hadi, a prominent leader of the student-led protests last year that led to the ouster of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections.
He was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen at an election campaign in central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area. He died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on Thursday.
His death triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner's residence in Chattogram on Thursday.
Indian visa applications in Chittagong have been suspended indefinitely, the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) was quoted as saying by The Dhaka Tribune newspaper on Sunday.
The decision came into effect on Sunday following a recent security incident at the Assistant High Commission of India in Chittagong.
According to the IVAC, all Indian visa-related services in the port city will remain closed from December 21 until further notice.
The statement added that a further announcement will be made regarding the reopening of the visa application centre after a review of the security situation. -- PTI
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