New Delhi: The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, marked by attacks on minorities and tightened travel restrictions, has significantly impacted air travel between Kolkata and Bangladesh, leading to a dramatic reduction in flight frequencies and passenger numbers. Airlines operating on the Kolkata-Dhaka and Kolkata-Chittagong routes have been forced to slash services due to a nosediving passenger count.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national carrier, has reduced its Kolkata-Dhaka flights from two daily to just one. Similarly, US-Bangla Airlines has cut its Dhaka flights from two to one daily and completely suspended its Chittagong service. While IndiGo, an Indian carrier, maintains its twice-daily schedule for now, sources indicate it is closely monitoring the situation and passenger numbers.
The overall impact is stark. The number of flights between Kolkata and Dhaka/Chittagong plummeted from 125 in September to 97 in November, resulting in a passenger drop from 15,479 to 12,747 during the same period. Arrivals from Bangladesh to Kolkata also decreased significantly, falling from 12,540 in September to 10,121 in November. This downturn disproportionately affects Bangladeshi carriers; Biman Bangladesh saw a sharp decline from 59 flights in July to 28 in November, while US-Bangla’s departures plunged from 84 to a mere 24 during the same timeframe.
This crisis has far-reaching economic consequences. Bangladeshis who rely on Kolkata for medical treatment and business activities are severely impacted. The hospitality sector in Kolkata, especially hotels, restaurants, and hospitals catering to Bangladeshi clientele, has suffered a substantial blow. Hotel occupancy rates in the Marquis Street-Sudder Street area have fallen to a mere 20 per cent, while businesses in and around New Market report a 65-70 per cent drop in sales, the Times of India (TOI) reported.
Travel industry experts point to a significant decline in both conventional and local tourism and business travel due to the continuing instability. The affordability and ease of access to medical and religious tourism in Kolkata for many middle-class Bangladeshis are now hampered, indicating a widespread ripple effect across sectors. “Tourism, both conventional and local, as well as business, are impacted by the ongoing turmoil there. For most middle-class Bangladeshis, India is a foreign country within reach for medical as well as religious tourism where affordability, food and language are not a barrier. Unless the situation gets resolved, everyone will feel the pinch,” Travel Agents’ Association of India chairman (East) Anjani Dhanuka was quoted as saying by TOI.
