After Siliguri, Malda Hotels' No To Bangladeshis Amid Unrest

Malda: Amid the prevailing political and social unrest in Bangladesh and heightened security concerns along the India-Bangladesh border, the Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified vigilance, doubling patrols in sensitive border areas of the Malda district.

In this situation, hotels across Malda have shut their doors to Bangladeshi nationals. A similar decision was taken by hoteliers in Siliguri earlier this month.

However, the hotel owners have not yet made a final decision on whether the restriction will apply also to Bangladeshi nationals coming to India on medical visas. A section of the district's business community has supported the hoteliers' decision.

So long, Bangladeshi nationals, visiting India on valid visas for educational or medical purposes, were being provided accommodation in these hotels.

Krishnendu Chowdhury, secretary of Malda District Hotels and Restaurant Owners Association said, "We are very concerned about the present situation in Bangladesh. Due to procedural uncertainties over visas and passports, we are not providing them any rooms. However, we have not yet made a final decision on whether to provide accommodation to Bangladeshis coming for medical treatment or not. A final decision will be taken at a meeting very soon. At this moment, there are no Bangladeshis in any hotel in Malda."

Earlier in December, Siliguri hoteliers imposed a ban on Bangladeshi tourists. According to a notice issued by the Greater Siliguri Hoteliers Welfare Association, the decision was linked to incidents that have strained India-Bangladesh relations, including alleged disrespect towards the Indian flag and provocative statements by a section of Bangladeshi citizens.

The hoteliers' organisation said the move was aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of guests and hotel staff in the current sensitive atmosphere here.

The Malda District Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association has 94 registered hotels and restaurants. This apart, there are several smaller hotels and eateries. Overall, there are more than 150 accommodations in Malda.

Welcoming the hoteliers' decision, Ujjwal Saha, secretary of the Malda Merchant Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, "Under normal circumstances, 300 to 350 Bangladeshi nationals would enter India daily through the Mahadipur border. Some of them came to India for medical treatment, some for studies, and others for tourism. But now, only 30-35 people come from Bangladesh daily. We support the decision taken by the hotel owners in response to the anarchy and continuous anti-India sentiment in the neighbouring country."

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