India, Jan. 9 -- Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh faced fresh strain on Thursday after Dhaka announced a sweeping expansion of visa restrictions for Indian citizens, extending curbs beyond the capital to several major Indian cities.

Under the revised policy, Bangladesh has suspended the issuance of nearly all visa categories for Indian passport holders, with the exception of business and employment-related visas. The decision applies to Bangladeshi missions in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, in addition to existing restrictions already in place at missions in Delhi, Agartala and Guwahati.

The announcement was made late Wednesday by Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and comes amid a period of unease in bilateral ties...