FIVE REASONS FOR BANGLADESHIS TO GO TO INDIA

Akbar Hossain BBC Bangla, Dhaka January 1, 2020

  Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das said 1.5 million Bangladeshis were issued Indian visas in 2019.   Speaking at a function in Dhaka, the Indian High Commissioner said that even a few years ago, seven to eight lakh Bangladeshis were issued Indian visas every year.   As such, it has now doubled. The question is, why are so many Bangladeshis going to India?   Treatment RaushanAkter, a resident of Narayanganj, went to an eye hospital in Dhaka in 2010 with his son. Private eye hospitals in elite areas are also quite expensive for the middle class. Raushan Akhter's son was then an eighth grader. The sight of one of his eyes used to be quite blurred in winter. Doctors said his eye was damaged.   Then Raushan Akhter went with his son to an eye hospital in India. The doctors there examined and gave him a special lens, which he can now use to do everything normally through the eyes.

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"My son now works in a bank. Doctors in India say he will have an operation in a few more years. Then his eyes will be fine," Raushan Akhter told BBC Bangla.   There are thousands of such examples in Bangladesh like RaushanAkter. The doctors here say one thing, and the doctors in India say another.   As a result, Bangladeshis have built a deep confidence in the Indian medical system in recent times.   Read more on BBC Bangla: Why so many deaths on the Bangladesh-India border?   The way barbed wire fences at the border are changing lives   What is the receipt of Bangladesh from India?   Opposition to India is becoming 'sensitive' in Bangladesh?   Tourism Not only medical, lately India has been on the list of Bangladeshi preferences for travel.   Saima (pseudonym) is a private employee in Dhaka. In 2019, he has visited India four times.   Miss Saima thinks India is 'much cheaper' than Bangladesh in terms of travel or shopping.   He cited the example of visiting Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, where it is possible to travel to India at a lower cost than the hotel rent, travel and food costs. He also mentioned that India is much more diverse than Bangladesh.   Santosh Kumar Dev, a teacher in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Dhaka University, told BBC Bangla that people from Bangladesh go to India for medical treatment and travel.   Mr. Dev said, “People in Bangladesh think, if I can travel around the country with the same amount of money, then why should I stay here?   Shopping at low prices In terms of clothing, Bangladeshis put Indian clothing at the top of their list of favorites. Many Bangladeshis feel comfortable going to India for shopping for Eid, Puja, wedding or any other occasion.   Soylab Indian clothes in various markets or shopping malls in Bangladesh. Many people now prefer to go to India to buy these clothes cheaply.   "The clothes I can buy from India for three thousand rupees cost the same eight or nine thousand rupees here. Besides, if I go there, I can buy many dresses at a low price."   Lifestyle freedom Santosh Kumar Dev, a teacher at Dhaka University, said the restrictions in neighboring countries are much lower than in Bangladesh. The kind of facilities that are required for tourism are not being used properly due to various restrictions.   "There are government-sanctioned bars and clubs in different parts of the world. In that case, if the rules and regulations of the Bangladesh government are followed, the number of tourists in Bangladesh may increase," said Mr Dev.  

Talking to some of those who visited India in 2019, it was understood that the issue of domestic tourism is discouraging them due to various restrictions inside Bangladesh. They don't feel as comfortable in Bangladesh as they do in India.   Miss Saima said, "I go for a walk for fun. I will not go to Cox's Bazar with so much effort to stay in a hotel room. I have nothing to do after evening in Cox's Bazar. There is no such thing as taking my baby somewhere in the evening. If I have to sit in a hotel room, then there is no difference between my house and him. "   Diversity In addition to lifestyle freedom, diversity is an important factor in tourism. Due to its diversity, India has become attractive to tourists from many countries. Bangladesh is no exception.   Miss Saima said, "When you go to India, you can see a lot. I can see the desert, I can see the sea, I can see the ice there. I can see a lot in a country."   Medical, tourism or shopping - everything that comes to the fore is cost. Those who are constantly coming and going in India say that India is more affordable than Bangladesh in terms of medical, tourism and shopping and on the other hand the quality is better.   For these reasons, analysts believe that Bangladeshis are now leaning towards India.

Written by, Sayka Arifin Orpita

References (Information Collected)  

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