KOLKATA: Tension and anxiety gripped many Bangladeshi tourists staying in central Kolkata following a fresh outbreak of violence in Dhaka and other cities. This has prompted several visitors to closely monitor developments back home and consider cutting short their stay.Most of the tourists are in the city on medical visas and are lodged in hotels and guest houses in and around Marquis Street, Free School Street, and Collin Street — an area informally known as ‘Mini Bangladesh’ because of its concentration of hotels, guest houses, eateries, and travel agencies. On Friday, many said they were worried that the situation in their home country could deteriorate further, affecting both their families’ safety and bilateral movement between India and Bangladesh.
“The situation in Dhaka was tense for the past few days, and this fresh spell of violence is deeply concerning,” said Mujibur Rahman, who arrived in Kolkata early Friday for the medical treatment of a family member. Several tourists were seen consulting travel agents about rescheduling or advancing return tickets. Others gathered in small groups outside hotels and tea stalls, discussing reports from home and staying in contact with family members. “I am praying the situation stabilises in the next couple of days,” said Suman Mondal, another visitor from Bangladesh. Tourist inflow from Bangladesh showed signs of recovery since Oct after a prolonged slump of nearly 15 months. In July, political unrest and economic stress in Bangladesh sharply curtailed travel, leaving businesses in Mini Bangladesh struggling to survive. Hotels, guest houses, money exchange counters, and transport operators only recently began to see improved occupancy and footfall, largely driven by medical tourism.For families travelling with children, the uncertainty has added to their anxiety. Amin Islam, a resident of Khulna who is visiting Kolkata with his wife and two daughters, said safety concerns were paramount. The renewed violence has also raised fears among traders and hotel owners that the fragile recovery in business could be disrupted once again. Many said cancellations or early departures would directly impact business that depends heavily on Bangladeshi visitors. “We have reassured our guests that they are safe in Kolkata and that there is no reason for panic here,” said the owner of a guest house on Collin Street. “But uncertainty back home naturally affects their plans and our business.”
