Kolkata’s trade hubs are buzzing with excitement following the news that India is resuming tourist visa services for Bangladeshi citizens from Sunday (June 28). Bangladeshis can begin submitting their Indian visa applications starting today.

To celebrate the resumption of visas, jubilant traders in Kolkata exchanged and distributed sweets among themselves.

Earlier on Sunday (June 27), various business associations in Kolkata's prominent New Market area held a coordination meeting.

The meeting, organized by trader bodies representing the Marquis Street, Free School Street, and New Market areas, focused on ways to improve hospitality services for Bangladeshi tourists, bolster security measures, and address logistical gaps. The traders reviewed infrastructural readiness, including the installation and monitoring of CCTV cameras.

Business owners emphasized their desire to ensure that Bangladeshi visitors experience the same familiar, welcoming Kolkata they knew two years ago. Their ultimate goal is to foster an environment where tourists can visit the city without any fear or apprehension.

Following the political transition in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, the suspension of tourist visas severely crippled tourism-reliant zones in Kolkata, including New Market, Marquis Street, Free School Street, Sudder Street, and Lindsay Street.

According to local merchants, the prolonged slump in sales forced many to take out loans, shut down operations entirely, or pivot to alternative professions to survive.

With visas now reopening, an atmosphere of joy has returned to the New Market area. Hotel owners, clothing retailers, foreign currency exchangers, mobile SIM card vendors, and even hand-pulled rickshaw pullers are optimistic that the bustling trade hub will regain its former glory.

Monotosh Saha, proprietor of Sohag Paribahan and President of the Marquis Street-Free School Street Traders Welfare Association, said, "We have endured an incredibly difficult situation over the last two years. We are hopeful that the crisis is finally ending. Our goal is to rebuild our old relationships with Bangladeshi tourists and restore New Market to its peak."

Sanjay Majumdar, the owner of Green Line, echoed similar sentiments: "Our business was virtually shut down for two years. It is impossible to run a transport business solely relying on medical visas. Marquis Street had ground to a complete halt. We hope the good old days are returning."

Kamruddin Malik, proprietor of Cotton Gallery, noted that business in New Market had plummeted by nearly 60% over the last two years. He believes that normalcy in visa services will quickly revive the local economy.

Kusum, an employee at New Market’s Globe Pharmacy, shared, "A major portion of our business depends on Bangladeshi buyers. They primarily come to Kolkata to purchase medicines, cosmetics, and dry fruits. We are thrilled by the news of the visa resumption."

According to market data compiled by the traders, the absence of Bangladeshi tourists had pushed businesses in Marquis Street and Free School Street to a total standstill, sliced New Market's trade by 60%, and triggered a severe ripple effect in Burrabazar.

The decision to resume visas has injected a fresh wave of hope not just into retail trade, but across Kolkata's broader tourism and local economy, as business owners eagerly count down the days until prosperity returns.