No hotel in Siliguri will provide accommodation to any Bangladeshi tourist, even those arriving on a medical visa, said Ujjal Ghosh, the Joint Secretary of the Greater Siliguri Hoteliers Welfare Association, on Thursday, 25 December.
“Considering the situation in Bangladesh that started last year, we made a decision that we would not give accommodation to any Bangladeshi tourist in any hotel in Siliguri,” Ujjal Ghosh was quoted by news agency ANI as saying on Thursday.
He, however, said that later, for “humanitarian reasons”, it was decided that “only tourists who held medical or student visas” would be allowed to stay in Siliguri hotels or receive accommodation.
But, “given the current situation in Bangladesh and the statements being made by some leaders there regarding the Siliguri Corridor and the Seven Sisters of Northeast India, we protest them”, Ujjal Ghosh said.
“We have decided that from now on, we will not provide accommodation to anyone arriving on a medical visa either. Our country comes first; only then does our business come,” he told ANI.
Meanwhile, a hotel located in the Junction area announced that it will no longer allow Bangladeshi tourists to stay on its premises. Posters reading “Boycott Bangladesh” have been put up at the hotel, Millennium Post reported.
In addition, some vehicle drivers pasted similar stickers on their vehicles and stopped providing transport services to Bangladeshi citizens.
Dilip Mallick, the manager of the hotel, was quoted as saying, “Bangladeshis receive various facilities in India, yet incidents of violence against Bengalis and Hindus continue in Bangladesh.”
“Such actions are unacceptable, and therefore our hotel has decided not to accommodate Bangladeshi tourists,” Mallick said.
‘End to all services for Bangladeshi nationals’
A local trader from the Junction area, Sujan Das, echoed similar sentiments and reportedly said, “We want all import and export activities between India and Bangladesh to be stopped.”
“Services such as transport, hotels, sale of goods and even medical facilities should no longer be extended to Bangladeshi nationals. We demand a complete boycott of Bangladesh,” he said.
India-Bangladesh fallout
The development came as anger grew across India following reports of atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, including the killing of Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on 18 December over an alleged claim of blasphemy.
The brutal murder of the 27-year-old, whose body was hanged and set ablaze, has also drawn widespread condemnation and protests in various places in India.
Following the incident, Bangladesh suspended consular and visa services in New Delhi and Agartala due to security concerns.
Earlier, India summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner, for the second time in a week, amid apparent strain in ties over the anti-India developments in the neighbouring country.
Bangladesh authorities have since said there was no evidence that Das had committed blasphemy. Muhammad Yunus’ interim government said it would take care of the minor child, wife and parents of Das.
Bangladesh's Education Adviser, CR Abrar, visited the family of Dipu Das on behalf of the Interim Government, expressing sympathy and assuring them of support.
