JN Ray Hospital in Maniktala, which has announced its decision not to treat any Bangladeshi patients, turned down admission queries from four patients from the neighbouring country on Sunday, a director of the hospital said.

The hospital on Raja Dinendra Street, one of whose owners is BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh, had about 20 per cent of the 141 beds occupied by Bangladeshi patients every month, said Subhransu Bhakta, the director and one of the owners of the facility.

Relatives of the four patients called to enquire about admission procedures when they were told that the hospital would not admit any patient from that country for an indefinite period.

“We explained our stand to the four callers and told them about our decision not to admit any patient from Bangladesh for now. They did not prolong the conversation after we made our stand clear to them,” said Bhakta.

Patients from Bangladesh usually plan their arrival after discussions with hospitals in Calcutta. “Bangladeshi patients come through sources such as hospitals or doctors there. We have informed them (hospitals and doctors in Bangladesh) about our decision,” Bhakta said.

He told Metro on Sunday that the hospital was discriminating on the grounds of nationality, not religion.

“We could have said that we would not treat Bangladeshi Muslims but we are not saying that. We will not discriminate based on religion, caste or creed. But when my country is being humiliated there, I have to take a stand,” he said.

Trouble in the neighbouring country has brought down the number of Bangladeshis coming to Calcutta for treatment.

About 150 Bangladeshi patients would come to BP Poddar Hospital in New Alipore every week till trouble broke out across the border leading to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. The number fell to zero immediately after Hasina’s ouster.

“It rose to about 30 a week after Durga Puja but no patient from Bangladesh has come in the last three days. About 55 planned surgeries (on Bangladeshi patients) were scheduled for the Christmas window. Almost all have been cancelled,” said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group advisor, BP Poddar Hospital.

Officials at several private hospitals in the city said they do not agree with the views of the management of JN Ray Hospital. Hospitals, they said, are bound to treat all patients who turn up, irrespective of their religion, nationality, caste or creed.

The Narendra Modi government tabled a written reply on Bangladesh in Parliament on Friday. It said the government had taken serious note of the “incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, their homes and business establishments and of attacks on temples/ religious places”.