Due to the ongoing tensions over Sheikh Hasina’s Dhaka exit in August and the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari on November 25, the bustling streets and junctions in Kolkata’s ‘mini-Bangladesh’ have worn a bleak and deserted look.
During the period between October and March, the area surrounding Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Marquis Street and Free School Street at the heart of Kolkata buzzes with tourists of all kinds from Bangladesh. That's why this region is generally called ‘mini-Bangladesh’.
Medical and leisure tourists, students, and those meeting relatives, all find here a familiar environment like home away home. Consequently, the local economy has flourished, with businesses such as hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, clothing stores, and foreign currency exchange services thriving in the area.
The Indian government has temporarily stopped issuing visas to Bangladesh nationals, except in cases of emergency and medical needs. This has significantly reduced the number of incoming tourists from the neighbouring country, dealing a severe blow to local businesses and impacting livelihoods associated with them.
Harmit Singh, the owner of Hotel Times International at Marquis Street and also the president of Calcutta Hotel Guest House, told THE WEEK, “My hotel has 30 rooms and during this time of the year, 85 per cent of them remain full. But this time, despite reducing the tariff, we are running with only 20-25 per cent occupancy.
The same was expressed by Keshav Sarkar, manager of Icchamoti Restaurant opposite Singh’s hotel. During the peak hours of lunchtime, this famous eatery known for its authentic Bangladeshi cuisine now presents a stark contrast, with empty chairs and tables greeting visitors at first glance.
“In normal times, there won’t be a single empty chair. This place is among the favourites of people coming from Bangladesh,” Sarkar told THE WEEK. “Even after August things were not so bad. But what we have experienced in the last month or so is hard to explain.” His expression of frustration at the loss of words said the rest.
The restaurant is at a two-storey complex. On the ground floor, Sheikh Shahidul Islam runs a garment shop which boasts a great collection of salwar kameez, kurtis and sarees. On their way up to the restaurant or while coming down after their meal, tourists would take a look at Islam’s collection and more often than not buy something.
“Earlier, I used to sell 20-25 items in total every day. But now I can’t even sell one,” Islam lamented, while adding that sustaining his business had become nearly impossible. Now I have to pay from my savings,” Islam adds, pleading to the government of both Bangladesh and India to restore normalcy as soon as possible.
It’s not just local business owners hoping for a return to normalcy—many Bangladeshis share the same sentiment. Abida Sultana and her family, from Mirpur, Dhaka, were among the fortunate few who managed to travel to India on medical visas during this turbulent period.
A regular visitor to India, Abida noticed stricter border checks this time. While she was aware of the decline in Bangladeshi travellers, the empty streets of Marquis Street still came as a shock. “We’re not used to seeing it like this,” she told THE WEEK.
Expressing optimism for better times ahead, she remarked, “Yes, there might have been some isolated incidents of violence against minorities, but overall, things are normal in Bangladesh. The media is blowing things out of proportion.”
The current interim government of Bangladesh also reportedly flagged the exaggerated media narrative to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who recently visited the neighbouring country and met Muhammad Yunus and other senior officials of the administration.
However, Bangladesh has acknowledged 88 incidents of communal violence against religious minorities, with 70 arrests made in response. Reportedly, Misri briefed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs about these actions and the gradual improvement in the situation.
This collaborative effort between the two countries to ease tensions is being viewed as a hopeful step toward restoring normalcy by traders on Kolkata’s Marquis Street, who are currently facing an uncertain and challenging future.
“We request both the countries to get things back to normal as soon as possible. Otherwise, about 15,000 families will be on the streets,” Haider Ali Khan of Free School Street Traders Association told THE WEEK. “I also want to tell our brothers and sisters in Bangladesh that India is as safe as it was earlier. Nothing has changed. Please don’t stop visiting us.”
