Officials at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata reported a significant decrease in flights from Bangladesh, attributing this decline to the ongoing crisis in the neighboring country. An Indian airline has also postponed its plan to start direct flight services from Kolkata to Dhaka, as confirmed on Sunday.
US-Bangla Airlines, a private carrier, saw a drastic drop in its flight operations, decreasing from 84 arrivals in July to just 24 in November. Passenger numbers also dropped sharply from 7,391 in July to 1,646 in November. Biman Bangladesh, the national carrier, reduced its flights from 59 to 28 over the same period. Similarly, the number of flights from the low-cost carrier Indigo decreased from 62 to 44.
Flight operations have been further curtailed since August. Biman Bangladesh cut its daily operations from two flights per day to one starting August 10, and US-Bangla Airlines reduced its daily flights from three to one beginning August 17. According to industry insiders, the crisis in Bangladesh, which began mid-year, has led to this significant reduction in services.
Fear and Economic Impact on Kolkata
The crisis in Bangladesh has impacted passenger numbers, with many people avoiding travel due to safety concerns. “Passengers are coming in fewer numbers due to the crisis, while people from this side are not going to the neighboring country due to the fear of losing their lives,” experts explained. This situation has had severe repercussions on tourism and trade in Kolkata, severely affecting local businesses.
Anil Punjabi, a committee member of the Travel Agents Federation of India representing East, noted that tourism has suffered immensely. “The hotels in the New Market area here used to experience 100 percent occupancy but it has come down to 20 percent,” he said. Punjabi described the economic impact of the crisis as worse than what was experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that “If this happens, many people will be affected and they will lose their sources of income.”
Lost Sources of Income and Dragging Businesses
Businesses, especially those reliant on tourism and trade, have been hit hard by the crisis. Anjani Dhanuka, chairman of the Travel Agents Association of India’s eastern region, said, “the targeted violence against the specific communities has already started disrupting trade between India and Bangladesh.” He highlighted that while Indian carrier Indigo has continued operations with moderate load, other airlines have cut down on flights due to declining passenger numbers.
Dhanuka also pointed out that medical tourism has come to a halt, and exports of agricultural products like onions and motor parts have decreased by 90 percent. The downturn in trade has led to a dramatic decline in revenue for local businesses. Naresh Parnani, a silver jewelry shop owner in New Market, reported a 20 percent drop in business, while other retailers dealing in garments and various items have seen sales drop by up to 50 percent. “A room, which used to cost ₹3,000 per day has now come down to ₹600,” he said, referring to the decline in hotel room rents in Sudder Street.
An Urgent Need for Resolution
Experts believe that unless the situation in Bangladesh stabilizes, disruptions in travel, tourism, and trade will persist. “Nothing will be fine unless the situation in Bangladesh becomes normal,” Dhanuka concluded.
