Bangladeshi medical travel to Kolkata has slowed in recent weeks as the closure of budget hotels following a deadly fire and increased police checks on foreign nationals create fresh concerns among patients seeking treatment across the border.
Several hospitals in Kolkata have reported a decline in Bangladeshi patients following the 19 August fire at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street that killed nine people, including seven Bangladeshis.
The fire triggered inspections of hotels and guest houses, with more than 100 establishments in central Kolkata reportedly facing closure notices over safety and licensing issues.
Areas including Free School Street, Marquis Street, and Sudder Street have long been popular among Bangladeshi patients because of their affordable accommodation and proximity to major hospitals.
At the same time, Kolkata Police has stepped up checks on Bangladeshi nationals suspected of overstaying or staying in India without valid documents, adding to concerns among ordinary travellers.
For Bangladeshis, Kolkata remains a major destination for medical treatment, shopping, education and family visits. But patients and hospitals say finding safe and affordable accommodation has become increasingly difficult.
At Ruby General Hospital, the number of Bangladeshi patients has dropped significantly.
Subhashish Datta, a representative of the hospital’s BP Poddar Hospital unit, said only four Bangladeshi patients were currently admitted.
He said daily Bangladeshi patients at the hospital’s outpatient department (OPD) had fallen from around 40 before mid-August to around 20 now.
“The decline could be linked to a lack of confidence among patients and their families about travelling to Kolkata under the present circumstances,” Datta said.
BP Poddar Hospital recently sent a team to Bangladesh to interact with patients. The hospital said its daily OPD attendance from Bangladesh had fallen from around 10-11 patients to five or six.
Hospital authorities said the closure of several lodges had created a shortage of affordable accommodation for patients and their attendants.
The hospital has been helping patients find accommodation in south Kolkata, although the response has so far fallen short of expectations.
Desun Hospital has also reported a decline, receiving around 500 new Bangladeshi patients over the past month – about 15 per cent lower than usual.
Dr Sajal Dutta, chairman and managing director of Desun Hospital, said its international help desk was continuing to assist Bangladeshi patients in finding accommodation within two kilometres of the hospital.
Other hospitals, however, reported a more stable situation.
Peerless Hospital CEO Sudipta Mitra said the hospital had not seen any major decline in Bangladeshi patients despite the fire.
At RN Tagore Narayana Hospital, Bangladeshi OPD attendance has remained around 60 to 70 patients a day in recent months. The hospital has been arranging alternative accommodation near its facilities.
Hospital officials said the figure was lower than the around 180 Bangladeshi OPD patients a day recorded until 2024, although patient flow had gradually recovered over the past six to nine months.
R Venkatesh, group COO of Narayana Health, said OPD visits from Bangladesh increased by more than 6 per cent in the previous month.
However, hospital officials put the current daily number of Bangladeshi OPD patients at around 250, showing differences in how patient flows are measured across facilities.
While legitimate medical travellers struggle with accommodation, Kolkata Police has increased checks on Bangladeshi nationals suspected of violating immigration rules.
At a monthly crime conference at Alipore Bodyguard Lines on Monday, Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda directed officers to identify Bangladeshi nationals allegedly staying illegally in their areas.
Police are also checking whether Bangladeshi nationals who entered India legally on visas returned after their permitted stay expired.
Hotels and guest houses are being inspected to verify foreign guests’ documents and maintain proper records.
Those found staying illegally may initially be sent to holding centres, according to police instructions.
The move follows increased scrutiny of accommodation facilities after the August fire.
In a recent case, police detained a person in the Baguiati area suspected of being a Bangladeshi national. Police are examining allegations that he entered India through an unauthorised route and later obtained Indian identity documents.
The investigation concerns individuals suspected of immigration violations and does not apply to Bangladeshi nationals travelling legally with valid passports and visas.
The decline in medical travel and the police checks involve separate issues: one concerns legitimate cross-border movement, while the other concerns enforcement of immigration laws.
However, for ordinary travellers, visa access, accommodation availability and security checks directly shape their experience of travelling between the two countries.
Kolkata has remained one of the most accessible destinations for Bangladeshis seeking medical treatment and other services. Thousands of Indians also travel to Bangladesh for business, tourism, education and family connections.
Medical travel has therefore become an important part of Bangladesh-India people-to-people ties.
For patients seeking treatment, the immediate concerns remain practical – obtaining visas, finding safe and affordable accommodation, and reaching hospitals without disruption.
