Kolkata: The bustling area of Free School Street, Sudder Street, and Marquis Street in central Kolkata, often called “Mini Bangladesh”, resembles a ghost town, with businesses struggling to survive. For over five decades, these streets have been a hub for Bangladeshi visitors traveling to India for medical treatment, education, business, or family visits. However, the once-vibrant locale is now witnessing a severe economic downturn, with drastically reduced footfall from its primary clientele.
The issuance of medical visas for Bangladeshi patients has been sporadic, with the last batch issued in August. A Bangladeshi family, speaking anonymously, revealed, “Now, the process of obtaining visas, arranging finances and transportation, and securing doctor’s appointments is extremely challenging. By January, there may not be any patients or tourists from Bangladesh coming to India.”
In recent years, Bangladeshi patients often sought medical treatment across India, with Kolkata acting as a crucial entry point and, for some, a base for their medical journeys. Hospitals and nursing homes in the city are now experiencing a significant drop in patient numbers. Amelia, public relations officer at Ruby General Hospital in South Kolkata, confirmed the downward trend, “We have seen a noticeable decrease in patients from Bangladesh.” She, however, declined to provide precise figures.
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Pharmacies near New Market, a popular shopping destination for Bangladeshi visitors, where they often go seeking specific medications, have also seen a drastic fall in the number of customers. “We used to serve long queues of Bangladeshi patients every day. Now, we barely see six or seven. That number is also decreasing. The situation on the other side has affected our business,” said Sanjay Dey, owner of Lindsay Blue Print pharmacy in central Kolkata.
A view of Marquis Street in central Kolkata. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
At a well-known super-specialty hospital in the southern parts of the city, several Bangladeshi patients expressed concern about future check-ups, unsure if they would be able to obtain the necessary medical visas for their appointments, scheduled three months out. While they considered online consultations, they acknowledged the necessity of in-person examinations.
Bangladesh accounts for the largest share of medical tourists to India, with numbers rising 48% from 304,067 in 2022 to 449,570 in 2023. The majority of these patients travel to West Bengal, using land connectivity between Kolkata and Dhaka.
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There were about 22 daily buses that ran between the two cities last year. Shyamoli Paribahan, a bus service that once operated multiple daily trips between Dhaka and Kolkata, has drastically reduced its services as a result of the ongoing unrest.
“We used to run four buses full of passengers to Dhaka every day from this location. Now, only one bus makes the trip, and we may have to halt even that service due to lack of passengers,” said Kartik Ghosh, a director at Shyamoli’s Marquis Street office.
Local hotel businesses have also been severely impacted. “Every winter, thousands of hotels in this area were fully booked. Now, we’ve had to send employees on leave, and the lights in many hotels remain off. Politics around religion has severely impacted our livelihood,” lamented Mohammad Yusuf, owner of a BnB in central Kolkata.
“Clients booked tickets six months ago for tours across India. Now, they’ve cancelled, and I’m unable to provide full refunds. It’s a crisis for them and for me,” said Kolkata based travel agent Naim Sheikh.
A view of New Market in Kolkata which usually see a lot of commerce from Bangladesh residents. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
With New Market now eerily quiet, the economic strain on Kolkata’s tourism, medical, and retail sectors continues to intensify. The crisis poses significant challenges for West Bengal’s economy, leaving local businesses and residents uncertain about the prospects for recovery.
Haidar Khan Bhutto, secretary of the Central Kolkata Business Association, has called for urgent intervention from authorities in both India and Bangladesh. “For decades, 15,000 families here have thrived on businesses related to hotels, transport, and money exchange,” Bhutto said.
“Now, political tensions have rendered many unemployed. We urge authorities in India and Bangladesh to resolve this situation,” he added.
Popular tourist destinations frequented by Bangladeshi residents, including Darjeeling, Sikkim and Siliguri, are also feeling the pinch. Subrata Saha, president of the Siliguri Hotel Owners’ Association, lamented, “Our hotels are empty this winter due to the absence of Bangladeshi tourists.”
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
