Hope for tourism revival in Kol’s mini-Bangla

Kolkata: Hope and relief swept through central Kolkata's "mini Bangladesh" on Friday as news came in that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a two-thirds majority in the Feb 12 general elections.In the narrow lanes of Marquis Street, Free School Street and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, traders, hoteliers and Bangladeshi visitors said they were looking at the decisive verdict across the border as a potential turning point that could revive cross-border tourism which supports the economy in the neighbourhood.
On Friday morning, TV sets inside hotels tuned to live coverage of the results, and tourists in Kolkata on medical visas kept checking their mobiles for latest updates. Shopkeepers paused between customers to catch updates, while eateries and hotel lobbies buzzed with talks about the scale of BNP's win."We have been waiting for stability," said Hyder Ali Khan, general secretary of the Free School Street Traders' Association. "Stability is key to business. We are praying that tourists will return soon."S Rahman, who owns Modern Book Store on Mirza Ghalib Street, said the result rekindled hope among traders. "For the last 20 months, we suffered huge losses. If the new govt restores normalcy and visa processes become smoother, we believe things can improve," said Rahman. For several years, this pocket has thrived on visitors from Bangladesh. Over 250 budget hotels and guest houses operate here, alongside restaurants serving Bangladeshi food, garment stores, travel agencies and foreign exchange counters. But tourism dipped after political turmoil in Bangladesh in mid-2024, following the ouster of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina. Traders estimate that footfall dropped to nearly 20% of previous levels over past 20 months. A hotel owner on Marquis Street said occupancy fell sharply since the unrest began. "Earlier, rooms were full for most of the year. Now most of our guests are on medical visas, and even that number is limited."PM Narendra Modi posted on X congratulating the BNP leadership, expressing hope for strengthened bilateral ties. Traders said such signals were encouraging. For Bangladeshi nationals in Kolkata, the day carried mixed emotions. Mizbauddin Saikat from Khulna, who is accompanying his mother for treatment, said he followed the results on phone throughout the day. "Now we hope the situation becomes stable," said Saikat.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and gift idea !