As Opar Bangla goes to polls, city’s ‘Mini Bangla’ falls silent
Times of India | 7 January 2024
Kolkata: On the eve of Bangladesh polls, a lull prevailed in the New Market area which is heavily dependent on tourists from the neighbouring country. From currency exchangers to hotels, from eateries to retailers, all businesses have been suffering for two week now with a significant drop in arrivals of Bangladeshis to the city. Everybody is waiting for the polls to get over for the businesses get back on their feet.
The ‘Mini Bangladesh’ in Kolkata has been facing a dip in hotel occupancy and restaurant biz ever since the Christmas period got over. The lean period is expected to continue till the second week of January.
Though there has been a visa restriction for fresh Bangladeshi inbound tourists in India since November, after the World Cup cricket was over, there was an abnormal surge of Bangladeshi visitors during mid-December which continued till Christmas.
“We had hardly any vacancies left in hotel rooms in the Marquis Street area till December 25,” said Md Saif Shamim, joint secretary of Free School Street Traders Association (FSSTA) which has more than 500 enlisted hotel owners and local traders mainly from Marquis Street, Free School Street, Kyd Street and Sudder Street.
Currency exchange, which is a big business in this part, has also come to a standstill. Tourists from Bangladesh exchange dollars for Indian currency. Tourists from India to Bangladesh too purchase dollars from forex traders from these parts.
“Though Bangladeshis travelling for medical treatments have no visa restrictions, these tourists mostly travelled to Kolkata on pre-issued visas,” said Litan Dhar, who runs a ticketing business and forex centre at Marquis Street.
Asif Iqbal who came to Kolkata a couple of days before Christmas with his family, returned to his home town last Wednesday. “This trip was planned a long time ago. We spent quality time in Kolkata with my family during this Christmas,” said the Dhaka-based businessman.
“This downward trend in business is expected to continue for one more week or so,” said Rashid Ahmed Mallick, senior manager of a leading restaurant in the area.
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