Every year, during winter season, Christmas and New Year celebration, Kolkata’s New Market square used to be bustling with Bangladeshi tourists, but the scenario is completely different this year.
In absence of Bangladeshi tourists, there has been a decrease in business by about 70 percent for the last three months, according to a data. Several shops have been dissolute as business owners fail to collect space rent. Residential hotels are also in misery as there are no visitors to stay.
Besides, the currency exchange centers, medical sector and transport sector are also in crisis due to the absence of Bangladeshis. Businessmen fear that if the situation continues for a few more years, the micro-economy of the region will collapse.
According to several leading medical institution in India, the number of foreign medical tourists has surprisingly diminished between April and September of the current fiscal year. It also said: “The number of Bangladeshi medical tourists has decreased by 25-40 percent which is significantly affecting on revenue collection.”
A recent care age rating reports: “Neighboring country Bangladesh contributes about 50-60 percent to India’s total medical tourism.”
“The overall revenue from international patients has decreased by 15 percent in the first six months of this year compared to last year,” said India’s leading medical company Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, adding: “One of the reasons is the decrease in the number of Bangladeshi medical tourists.” During this period, the revenue collected from Bangladeshi patients has decreased by 27 percent.
There are about 100 hotels and about 3,000 shops in just about two square kilometers in the central Kolkata that are completely depended on Bangladeshi tourists. After the ouster Sheikh Hasina led government, the Indian government decided to withdraw staffs from its high commission in Dhaka, and stop issuing temporary visa.
As a result, the vast area of New Market, including Marquis street, Sadar street, Mirza Ghalib street, Toti lane, Kid street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road are seeing an abatement of liveliness for more than three months in absence of Bangladeshi tourists.
Businessmen over there said: “The business in Kolkata’s new market and several private hospitals is dependent of Bangladeshi tourists.”
It is known that around four to five shops has been shut in the New Market area in the past 10 days as they fail to arrange space rent- one to one and half lakh rupee against 80-100 square feet space.
Monotosh Sarkar, a member of Kolkata’s Marquis Street and Free School Street Traders Welfare Association and owner of Emerald Hotel, said: “We are in trouble as Bangladeshi tourists have not been able to visit India since August due to the closure of visas.” He informed that even before August, 70 to 80 percent of Bangladeshis used to roam in this area but the portion decreased by 65-75 percent making it only five percent.
Meanwhile, the service of Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express and Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express has been postponed for more than three months. Even the buses heading to Kolkata are running their service with most of the tickets unsold.
Ajay Sau, the fifth-generation owner of Royal Store, a prominent cosmetics store in New Market, said: “The situation of entire New Market is terrible.” The medical sector in India is also in sorry state, he continued, adding: “A significant number of tourists used to come Kolkata every year for medical purpose and for shopping. But now they can’t come due to visa complications.”
“People of Bangladesh visit other countries for medical purposes rather India or Kolkata as they are getting visas to visit.”
Dr Pratim Sengupta, Managing Director and Senior Nephrologist of Nephro Care India Limited, said: “The downturn in the medical business is temporary, the sector will overcome the crisis in coming days.”
Md Zafar, of RN Tagore Hospital in Kolkata on Marquis Street, said: “The situation has been gradually deteriorating since August.” In his opinion, currently 20 percent of Bangladeshi patients are receiving treatment in various hospitals in Kolkata, but most of them are visiting with previously issued visas.
Translated by Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
