Sheikh Hasina’s ouster should end the violence in their homeland, several Bangladeshis in Calcutta said on Monday.

Many of them had their return journey plans disrupted. But the overarching sense was that of “hope”.

“The protestors’ main demand was Hasina’s resignation. She has resigned. I hope the bloodbath ends now and peace returns to my homeland,” Md Alamgir, 65, a resident of the Lalbagh neighbourhood in Dhaka, told Metro on Marquis Street.

Alamgir reached Calcutta on July 27 with his wife for treatment. He suffers from a knee problem and his wife a gynaecological ailment. They were supposed to return home by bus on Tuesday. Till 5pm on Monday, he had yet to get tickets.

“Bangladesh’s army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman’s speech, where he said ‘violence will not get us anywhere’, was very important. People still have faith in the army. I hope the armed forces ensure that the country does not plunge into darkness,” said Alamgir.

Hotels, eateries, travel agencies and currency exchangers on Marquis Street, Free School Street, Kyd Street, Sudder Street and neighbouring areas saw small and large Bangladeshi groups huddled together. Most of them had their eyes glued to screens.

The screens beamed some of the most dramatic scenes the subcontinent has seen since the Liberation War of 1971. Waves of people stormed Ganabhaban in Dhaka, the official residence of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, laying their hands on whatever they could.

Men were seen vandalising the statue of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.

An official in the Lenin Sarani branch of Sonali Bank, the largest PSU bank in Bangladesh, said he was gutted by the image.

“I am no Awami League supporter. But Mujibur Rahman is the father of our nation. He should be accorded utmost respect,” the man, who requested not to be named, said.

“The import-export payments routed through this branch dwindled by almost 70 per cent in the third week of July, when the nationwide student protests rocked the economy of Bangladesh,” a bank official said.

“With Hasina’s resignation and the intervention of the armed forces, peace should prevail in Bangladesh. I don’t expect business to suffer for days,” he said.

Only a handful of buses left Calcutta for Bangladesh early on Monday. From forenoon, the services were crippled. But more than one operator said they were booking tickets for Tuesday.

Train services between Calcutta and Bangladesh are stalled.

“The Maitree Express between Chitpore and Dhaka was cancelled on Monday. It will remain cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday, too,” said a railway official.

Sunday’s Chitpore-Khulna Bandhan Express, a bi-weekly train, was also cancelled.

Kolkata Police deployed extra forces in pockets where Bangladeshis stay. An assistant commissioner has been deployed with a team on Marquis Street and Free School Street.

Celebrations

Bangladeshis now in Calcutta organised a “victory rally’ on Marquis Street on Monday evening, shouting slogans against the Hasina regime. Most of them identified themselves as students.

“Hoi hoi, roi roi, Sheikh Hasina geli koi (Sheikh Hasina, where did you go),” shouted the rallyists.