Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in the face of the student movement and took refuge in India. Since the fall of this dictatorial government on August 5, Bangladeshi tourists have decreased in India. Most of those who have gone to Kolkata in the last one month are Awami League leaders and activists. Like Sheikh Hasina, they are staying in the country to protect themselves. Almost 60 percent of the market value of clothing has come down due to non-visiting of ordinary tourists. 70 percent reduction in hotel bookings. The number of patients going for treatment has come down to one third. All in all, the country is going through a major financial crisis.
Since Sheikh Hasina took refuge in India, the experience of the new interim government of Bangladesh with the country is not good.
The people of Bangladesh feel that if India’s excessive influence in Bangladesh, water distribution and border killings are not stopped, Calcutta may face long-term losses.
The SS Hog Market, also known as the New Market, or its surrounding market stalls are thronged by Bangladeshi tourists throughout the year. Whether visiting or seeking treatment, most Bangladeshi tourists visit Kolkata for shopping at the New Market. News from BBC Bengal.
Ashok Gupta, head of the New Market Shop Owners’ Association, said Bangladeshi buyers were seen in the clothing shops. It’s been a month, almost no one is coming to India anymore. 60 percent of our stores’ sales have fallen this month.
He said that all traders are facing losses, including clothes, accessories or shoes.
The situation is said to be the same in many other big shopping malls or big stores near New Market.
The hotel room is almost empty
The Marquis Street area is very familiar to many Bangladeshi people. There are many hotel restaurants in this area of central Kolkata, which mainly depend on Bangladeshi tourists for their business.
Also, almost all types of services for Bangladeshi tourists including money exchange, bus counter are available in that area.
If you go to that area, you will not think that it is a road of any other city outside Dhaka.
However, since the quota reform movement started in Bangladesh from July, the arrival of Bangladeshis in India has decreased. And since August it has kind of stopped.
Manotosh Sarkar, the leader of Marquis Street Hotel Owners’ Association, said that now only people can come with medical visas, or those who have already obtained visas are coming.
He said, even a few months ago our hotels had 60 to 80 percent occupancy rate. Now it has come down to only 30 percent.
Room occupancy rate is a hotel business term that measures the percentage of a hotel’s total number of rooms occupied by people.
That is, if there are 100 rooms in the hotels, now tourists are staying in only 30 rooms.
Sarkar also said that Marquis Street is not only a hotel, but there are many other service providers for Bangladeshi tourists. Their main buyers are the tourists of the country. They are coming in such small numbers now that all traders are taking a beating. Buses are coming with Bangladeshi tourists, but even there it is seen that 30 percent of the seats are being filled, the rest are empty.
It is uncertain how long this situation will last. Therefore, the hoteliers of Marquis Street are starting to think about whether they can attract customers from other areas.
Hospital patients also decreased
A large part of those who come to India from Bangladesh come for health services. Be it Kolkata or Vellore, Chennai, Bangalore or Delhi-Mumbai – many private hospitals are crowded with people from Bangladesh.
All these hospitals have Bengali speaking officers as well as separate service desks for Bangladeshis.
Private hospitals in Kolkata, where Bangladeshi patients come in large numbers, say that very few patients have come from that country in the last one month.
Even though Indian High Commissions are issuing medical visas, Kolkata hospitals are seeing fewer patients than before.
Manipal Hospitals Group acquired several hospitals in Kolkata a few months ago. An average of 2,100 Bangladeshi patients visit their hospitals every month. That number has dropped to about a third.
