With internet and telecommunication services down in Bangladesh, their family members are unable to send them more money.
“I had come to India on July 16 for a two-day-visit to meet a relative on the occasion of Muharram. I did not bring enough cash as I thought I would return soon. But this situation has forced me to stay back. I have exhausted all my money and my family cannot even send me money as the internet is down,” said Hasibur Rahman Limon (42), who runs a medicine business in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
At Marquis Street in Kolkata, there are several like him, either looking for cheaper hotels or visiting travel agency offices to enquire about bus services to Dhaka. Most bus services which usually ply from Kolkata to Dhaka are now offering a truncated journey up to the India-Bangladesh border in Petrapole.
“From Petrapol, we would have to cross to Bangladesh and take a bus from there which is likely to cost us more. This is forcing us to stay back for a few more days and wait for a direct bus service,” said Firdous Mollah, who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment on June 20 and was supposed to return on July 20.
“Now, I have to spend more for my extended stay. The money I have is drying up fast,” added Firdous, standing outside a travel agency office at Marquis Street.
Marquis Street, Mirza Ghalib Street and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai road are hotspots for Bangladeshis who come to Kolkata for various purposes, such as medical treatment and business. The areas have a large number of hotels and lodges, travel agencies, currency exchange points and shopping markets.
As train services between India and Bangladesh have been suspended due to the unrest, bus services and flight operations are only hopes for Bangladeshis to return home. However, the cost of air tickets has gone up so high that many are looking for cheaper hotels to stay in until direct bus services resume.
“Normally air tickets cost around Rs 5,000 to 6,000 from Kolkata to Dhaka. Now the price is around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, depending on availability of seats. We cannot afford such high prices for my entire family. One bus service operator said that they would go to Dhaka from Wednesday onwards. Therefore, I bought bus tickets for my family and will spend the next two days here,” said SM Kuddus (58), who came to India for liver treatment along with his wife, daughter and nephew on July 3, and was supposed to return on July 17. Typically, it costs about Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 for one person to travel to Dhaka from Kolkata
Farid Ahmed, a local travel agent at Marquis Street, said bus operators “are only allowed to go till the Petrapole border”.
The Bangladesh government had deployed an army and imposed a curfew to stop student unrest. Over 175 people have died and over 1200 have been arrested. The unrest had erupted over a demand to end the quota system in Bangladesh that allocated 30% reservation for the kin of veterans who fought in the country’s war of independence in 1971.
Although the Bangladesh Supreme Court has now reduced most job quotas and brought down the reservation for descendants of freedom fighters to 5%, the situation in the country remains grim.
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