The interim government of Bangladesh is hell bent on spoiling relations with India. But its effect is being felt by its own people. Now look at Khadija Khatun. In September, when the doctors of Dhaka Medical College told her that her husband Mohammad Noori Alam would have to undergo an immediate liver transplant, a mountain of sorrow fell on her. Even if she manages to arrange the money, she cannot get a liver transplant done in Bangladesh, because there is no such facility there. She wants to come to India, so that she can get her husband treated at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology in Hyderabad. But it has been three months and due to tension with Bangladesh, she has not been able to get a visa till now. She says that India is our last hope.

Khadija Khatoon has taken an appointment at the hospital in Hyderabad twice, but she could not come both the times. Now she has got a date of 10 January, but it is not certain whether she will be able to come or not. Talking to Al Jazeera, she said, since October we have tried everything possible. Contacted travel agencies, sought help from friends in the government. India is our only hope. Khadija Khatoon is not alone, there are many other families who want to come to India immediately for treatment, but they are not able to get visa.

20 lakh people used to come every year
According to the report of Bangladesh newspaper Pratham Olo, every year more than 20 lakh Bangladeshis come to India for treatment. They can also go to Thailand and other countries for treatment, but the expenses there are so high that it becomes very difficult. Khadija is worried about her husband's deteriorating health. She is hopeful that she will get a visa in a few days.

Earlier 7000, now only 500 appointments.
The Indian Visa Center has written on its website that only emergency medical visas and student visas are being issued and for that too the appointment slots are very limited. Earlier 7000 people were given appointments daily and now less than 500 appointments are being taken.

Old visa expired, new one not available
There are some Bangladeshis who were waiting for the tension to subside, but now their visa has expired. They are also stuck. Shariful Islam, 40, a resident of Joypurhat in northwestern Bangladesh, said, "My and my wife's visa was valid till 10 December, but we could not travel then due to tension in India over Bangladesh-related issues. Now new visas are not being issued." An official at the visa center told Al Jazeera that the High Commission has started accepting emergency applications, although the options for online application are limited.