Traders in central Calcutta, bearing the brunt of the crisis in Bangladesh, met on Saturday evening to discuss the road ahead.
The meeting included hoteliers, currency exchangers, garment traders, travel operators and restaurateurs from Free School Street, Marquis Street, Sudder Street, New Market, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and adjacent areas.
Many of the traders said they were looking forward to the Indian foreign secretary’s Bangladesh visit later this week.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri is slated to visit Bangladesh on December 9 to participate in the annual Foreign Office Consultations (FCO). This will be the first high-level visit by a senior Indian government official to Bangladesh since the interim government came to power in Dhaka after Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August amid violent protests.
“We are counting on the visit to help and ease the tension prevalent now. There is an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. That has to be addressed. People-to-people relations between the two neighbouring countries must continue,” said a member of the Marquis Street Free School Street Welfare Society.
“We plan to write to the Indian and Bangladeshi governments to address the issue. We are waiting for the outcome of the foreign secretary’s visit,” he said.
Marquis Street, Free School Street and adjoining roads that would earlier be crowded with Bangladeshis are now deserted. Only a few Bangladeshis remain in Calcutta and that number will also go south by the middle of December, said several traders who attended the meeting.
“The visa curbs have halted the flow of tourists. The current number of Bangladeshis in central Calcutta would not be more than 150. The visas of most of these visitors will expire by the middle of December. Then, the number will come down to double digits,” said Monotosh Sarkar, joint secretary of the society.
“Like us, the importers in Bangladesh are also counting losses,” he said.
Sarkar owns Hotel Emerald on Marquis Street. It has 30 rooms. Now, only four are occupied by Bangladeshis.
“The run-up to Christmas is very good for business. Usually, this time of the year, I cannot give rooms to walk-in guests. All rooms are booked well in advance,” said Sarkar.
Kamruddin Mallick, owner of Cotton Gallery, said he has not sold a blazer in three days. “It is unthinkable. Earlier, I would sell seven to eight blazers every day in December,” he said.
Shyamal Saha, a currency exchanger, had people waiting outside his store this time last year. He would deal with $5,000 on a daily average basis. Now, the volume is less than $500. “I have to switch to another business if the slump continues,” said Saha.
The Saturday meeting also called for a leash on the swirl of hateful posts on social media. At a time relations between the neighbours are inflamed, such posts add fuel to the fire, the traders said at the meeting.
“A section of people in both countries are deliberately spreading inflammatory messages on social media. It is shameful and extremely worrying,” read a note issued by the society.
“In this city, Bangladeshi visitors get the products and services they need, at a fair price. They feel secure in Calcutta. To ensure their safety, we have already covered the area with CCTV cameras. We must ensure that the guests do not feel unwanted here,” the note said.
