Tourism suffers, Bangladesh-India trade maintain robust growth

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

Imtiaz Ahmed: Though India restricted issuing of visas to Bangladeshis since ungracious departure of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh  Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, the trade between  Bangladesh and India remains robust and healthy, according  to data of Bangladesh Bank, National Board  of Revenue and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and Indian sources.     

The 5- year trade data of Bangladesh and India shows that gradual increase in the bilateral trade over the 5 years. In FY 2020 – 2021, the value for Bangladesh’s import from India was 8,200.75 USD and the export to India was worth 1,264.74 USD.  In 2024-25, the import from India was 11,065.87 USD and export to India was 1,844.76 USD.  Bangladesh declined in export to India than that of previous FY 2023 – 2024 (worth 2,021.24 USD) due to political instability.  And in 2025-26 FY as the EPB data released every month substantiates that Bangladesh is achieving the target fixed by Ministry of Commerce.

Meanwhile, the  India's recent push-in of individuals  to Bangladesh across the border has created a tension between two  neighboring countries  .

According to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has pushed several hundred individuals into Bangladesh since 6 May. These push-ins are reportedly taking place in remote and uninhabited areas along the borders of Kurigram, Khagrachari, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Chuadanga.

This move is being widely viewed as a blatant violation of international laws, border protocols, and long-standing bilateral agreements between the two countries.

Meanwhile,  Foreign Affairs Adviser  of Bangladesh Md Touhid Hossain recently said Bangladesh will send a fresh "substantive" letter to India, reminding them of the established mechanisms to deal with push-in incidents, noting that such occurrences are still ongoing.

He said Bangladesh remains in touch with India regarding the push-in issue and that there are regular exchanges between the two sides.

Adviser Touhid noted that communication with New Delhi is ongoing, and Dhaka is working to ensure that nothing takes place outside the agreed-upon mechanisms.

India, meanwhile, has requested that Bangladesh expedite the verification process, stating that there are a large number of Bangladeshi nationals, over 2,000, who need to be deported following verification.

The Indian side urged Bangladesh to accelerate the verification process so that those identified for deportation can be returned.

He added that anyone staying in India illegally, whether Bangladeshi or from another country, will be dealt with in accordance with Indian law.

The special meeting between interim government chief of Bangladesh Dr Mohammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in Bangkok shows that both countries will virtually work together to improve strained multilateral relations in the coming days, sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi said.

Dhaka–New Delhi multilateral relations that suffered a heavy blow after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina- the most trusted partner of the Indian government, stepped down on August 5, 2024.

Though Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pursues ‘Neighborhood First Policy,’ the Indian PM took eight months to meet Dr Mohammad Yunus in person since the latter took oath as head of the Bangladesh government on August 8, 2024 last year.

Bangladesh has deep multilateral relations with India -- political, economic, cultural, social --   that need to be nurtured in the greater interest of both countries, said  a Bangladesh diplomat while talking to this correspondent.

Meanwhile, India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed India’s commitment to  maintaining a strong relationship with Bangladesh and stated that India always aims for strong ties with its neighbors. He made these remarks during an exclusive interview with Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) recently.

"We always strive to maintain good relations with our neighbors because, as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, ‘We can change our friends, but we cannot change our neighbors.’ Therefore, we want to maintain a strong relationship with Bangladesh," said Rajnath Singh.

The statement comes amid political shifts in Bangladesh. On August 5, the Awami League government, led by Sheikh Hasina, stepped down following mass student protests, and an interim government under Dr. Muhammad Yunus took charge.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi patients spend 2.00-3.00 US dollars in medical expenses in different hospitals in India per year. India has squeezed the regular visa process since July 2024 with no sign of normalizing this year, sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, Bombay and New Delhi said.

Meanwhile, since the ouster of dictator Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, India has restricted issuing visa to Bangladeshis on national security ground, sources in Dhaka and New Delhi.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India--led by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin respectively--- held on December 9, 2024 was presumed to ease the visa complication. But the visa process has not been improved, rather complicated to cause sufferings to poor and middle-class patients and businessmen.

Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India during the concluded year 2024 dropped by 20 per cent compared to the previous year 2023  amid political rift between two neighbouring countries .

The USA topped the top tourist arrivals with 18.14 per cent, followed by Bangladesh with 17.57 per cent, UK 10.28 per cent, Australia with 5.20 and Canada with 4.78 per cent.

However, during the month of December 2024, a total of 53,495 Bangladeshis visited India, perhaps the lowest in the last 20 years, sources said.

According to the Tourism Board of India, a total of 16,96,735 Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2024 as against approximately 2.12 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2023. Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata and New Delhi said that India will not normalize the visa process in case of Bangladesh unless Bangladesh has elected political government. However, the Indian visa process will not get momentum like that Bangladesh enjoyed during the regime of   Bangladesh Awami League, said  a Bangladesh  diplomat who worked in New Delhi in the past.

Meanwhile, in the meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held on the sidelines of BIMSTEC meeting in Bangkok, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus enquired about the status of Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and requested Mr Modi to hand over Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the  much-hyped meeting between Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on various crucial issues including national election in London on June 13, 2025 seems clear the cloud of holding the national election by an estimated time.

The meeting began at the Dorchester Hotel in London at 2pm, Bangladesh time, on Friday and continued till 3:30 pm (BST), said BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan, reports UNB.

Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai said that New Delhi seem uncomfortable over dealing major issues with the interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Professor Dr Mohammad Yunus. The Indian hegemony  has suffered a lot during the tenure of Nobel laureate Professor Dr Mohammad Yunus that is likely to regain during the political government  in   Bangladesh. India is most likely to resume visas to Bangladesh at the previous level once  the political government is established in Bangladesh, sources said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh High Commissioner to New Delhi M Riaz Hamidullah met Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee at her office today and discussed issues of mutual interest.

"It's a courtesy meeting," a senior official at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata told UNB, without elaborating further.

The meeting with Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee is important in the context that business and tourism in West Bengal suffered a lot during the last one year against the restricted visas issued by the High Commission of India.

The Modi government has some tug of war with  Mamata Banerjee that very limited issuing of visas to Bangladesh is hurting  business and tourism in West Bengal with a target to de-popularize the  Mamata Banerjee government.

 The West Bengal chief minister expressed her strong hope of strengthening the traditional relations between the people of West Bengal and the people of Bangladesh.

The chief minister requested the high commissioner to convey her greetings to Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and the people of Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata.

This was the first courtesy call by the newly appointed high commissioner of Bangladesh to any Indian chief minister.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee mentioned that the traditional linguistic, cultural and the ties between the people of West Bengal and Bangladesh based on common values, go beyond economic and commercial ties.She expressed her determination to continue her engagement with Bangladesh in the future.

Bangladesh and India went through tensions in their bilateral relations in phases on various issues since the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's regime on 5 August last.Mamata's meeting with the Bangladesh high commissioner in nearly nine years came amid Dhaka's concerns over push-ins.

Sources in Bangladesh missions in India that Bangladesh has not restricted issuing visas to Indians like Indian high commission in Bangladesh did over the last one year. Indian high commission in  Bangladesh  issued some 2 lakh visas to Bangladeshis every month before the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina….

Bangladesh retained top position (some 20-22 per cent ) in terms of receiving Indian visas until June 2024.  The Indian government has virtually stopped publishing the monthly statistic since January , 2025 . Until December, 2024, the Indian government published the statistics since December 2024. However, some unofficial statistics show that Bangladesh retained 2.00—3.00 per cent of total tourist visited  India during the last six months of the 2025. Sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai said that Indian government is likely to start issuing visas to Bangladeshis after the national  election is held in  Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and India relations are going through a transition period with both neighboring countries showing brisk business during the last one year, but restricting visas of both citizens since ouster of former Prime Minister of Shiekh Hasina though a mass protests on August 5, 2024, sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi, Agartala and Mumbai said.

This correspondent contacted Bangladesh missions in  Kolkata, New Delhi, Agartala, Chennei and Mumbai and got the clue that the  number of Indian tourists also came down during the last six months. Though Bangladesh missions in India have not updated the number of Indian tourists in Bangladesh during the last six months or several years, the India government updated the data of international tourists on a regular basis until  December 2024, sources said.

Sources said the political tension between two countries will have a reciprocal impact on the issuing of visas on the citizens of both counties

Sources in Bangladesh Tourism Board and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation said India’s tourists’ share in Bangladesh inbound tourism constitutes a major share—sometimes 60—75 per cent of total in bound tourism.

Members of Tours operators association of Bangladesh (TOAB) while talking to this correspondent said their business  suffered on political tensions and uncertainty last year.

Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India nosedived during the month of November 2024 as India tightened visa process on security and strategic grounds, sources in Dhaka, New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Agartala and Chennai said.

According to the India Tourism Board, USA retained the top position in terms of tourist arrivals in India during the month of November 2024 with 20.44 per cent, followed by UK with 10.92 per cent, Bangladesh with 9.71 per cent , Australia with 6.41 per cent and Canada with 6.22 per cent, 2024.