In what is definitely a good move, it appears that those arriving to Bangladesh as tourists can now be issued a 30-day visa on arrival.. the New Age reports:

The home ministry said potential foreign investors, technologists and tourists may get 30 days’ visa on arrival or landing permit at the immigration at ZIA International Airport.

In such cases, home ministry approval will be required for visitors coming from visa-restricted countries to Bangladesh.

The immigration department may provide foreigners with on-arrival visa coming to Bangladesh from countries other than theirs, or countries having no Bangladesh mission.

Investors or their dependents from Taiwan or countries having no Bangladesh mission will have special on-arrival visa for three months, but the visa holder will need to have a work order or security certificate from organisations concerned.

Bangladeshi-origin foreign citizens, their spouses or children may get on-arrival visa after showing citizenship certificates.

People working with foreign missions or UN organisations in Bangladesh may have on-arrival visa after showing the appointment letters or documents on their travel to Bangladesh.

The immigration can offer seven-day transit visas to visitors at the request of the airlines carrying for a payment of $20 as fee.

All the visitors except for the people coming on government assignment will be required to carry at least $500 in cash or on credit card.

Foreigners coming to Bangladesh on business purposes may get three years’ multiple visa for stay of six months at a stretch. Sponsors’ recommendation and police report will be required in this regard. Foreign technologists can have the visas extended by a month.

Foreign media people will get visas for a month at best, if the visa-issuing authority or the external publicity wing of the foreign ministry does not have any objection.

Naturally, it would be foolish to believe that these regulations will be implemented as quickly as tomorrow, but the relaxation of these rules does make a lot of sense if Bangladesh wants to ease investment flow and, more importantly, have more tourists.. I’ll post more info as I find out what the latest is.