Dhaka, Sep 13 (V7N) – A significant drop in passenger traffic has been observed on air, bus, and rail routes between Bangladesh and India after the recent political changes in Dhaka, following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This decline has raised concerns regarding the economic interactions between the two nations.

Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, India quickly suspended its visa services for Bangladesh. Although some services have resumed, they are limited to medical and student visas, causing many visa applications to be denied and reducing the number of travelers for work and leisure.

As a result, airlines serving these routes are struggling with fewer passengers, leading to operational challenges from reduced bookings and increased cancellations, which have imposed financial pressures.

Authorities like the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Bangladesh Railway, and the Ports Authority have all reported a substantial reduction in passengers on routes between Dhaka and key Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Air travel alone has seen a decrease of approximately 60% to 70%, according to insiders.

An official from the Airport Aviation Security (AVSEC) mentioned that tighter security protocols at Bangladesh's international airports, such as more thorough checks at boarding, immigration, and the verification of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for business travelers, have contributed to a further decline in passenger numbers traveling to India.

Airlines Experience Operational Strain

Airlines on both sides are scaling back their operations due to diminished demand. Bangladeshi carriers like Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla, and NovoAir, along with Indian carriers such as Vistara, Air India, and IndiGo, are all grappling with the downturn.

Air India, which had initially planned to launch new direct flights between Dhaka, Kolkata, and Chennai in September with a 25% fare reduction, has postponed its expansion plans due to insufficient passenger demand. NovoAir has decided to suspend its Dhaka-Kolkata service starting September 16, after reducing its weekly flights from seven to three, with its aircraft flying below capacity.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has cut its Dhaka-Kolkata flights from 14 to 7 weekly, and also scaled back its Dhaka-Delhi and Dhaka-Chennai services due to low occupancy, which now stands at around 48%. Currently, only one flight per week is operating on these routes, down from three.

US-Bangla Airlines has similarly reduced its Dhaka-Kolkata flights from 21 to 6 per week, while five of its 11 weekly flights on the Dhaka-Chennai route remain in operation. Despite cutting fares, US-Bangla reports that passenger numbers are still too low to offset operating costs, adding to the financial burden on the airline.

END/MSS/AJ