TV screens flicker, phones buzz as Kol’s ‘Mini Bangladesh’ follows poll updates

Kolkata: On Thursday afternoon, the television sets inside guesthouses and hotels along Marquis Street were tuned not to Bengali soaps or cricket matches, but to live election coverage from Bangladesh.Tourists stood outside tea shops and stores, scrolling through news updates on their phones. Though they were hundreds of kilometres away, many Bangladeshis said their minds were back home as their country voted in the general elections since the dramatic ouster of Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
In Kolkata's ‘Mini Bangladesh', the cluster of lanes and bylanes spanning Marquis Street, Free School Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and Collin Street, Wednesday did not feel like an ordinary day across the border. For them, election day unfolded in real time with updates from family, friends and the internet. "I am in Kolkata for treatment and could not be in Dhaka to cast my vote," said Haji Moin Hoque, a businessman. "My family stood in line to vote. They sent me pictures from the polling booth. I may be in Kolkata, but my mind is in Bangladesh."Inside hotel corridors, conversations inevitably drifted towards turnout percentages, candidates and early trends. At tea stalls, tourists found common ground with locals over predictions and speculation. "Back home, elections are a big thing," said Bilqees Begum, who is staying in a hotel in Collin Street. "I am feeling anxious because I am here in Kolkata, far away from my family. I worry about whether everything is peaceful. Every hour, I am calling up my son and daughter-in-law."As the day progressed, anticipation increased. Each new update from across the border prompted murmurs among the tourists. Phones rang more frequently. Nazma Begum, who is staying with relatives near Free School Street, said she considered postponing her trip. "But our plans were fixed long ago. Now I am checking Facebook Live channels from Bangladesh," said Nazma.Facebook Live streams, YouTube and WhatsApp groups became lifelines for the tourists throughout the day. "I keep checking because I don't want to miss any update," said Kabirul Islam, who is in Kolkata for treatment. Traders said business was subdued since political turmoil erupted in Bangladesh in June 2024. Over the past 20 months, the steady stream of leisure and shopping visitors dipped. According to traders, tourism is now roughly 20% of what it used to be, with most tourists travelling on medical visas. "For us, stability there means normal life here," said Raja Ghosh, who manages a hotel on Marquis Street. "We are hoping that after this election, things will settle."