Mir Afroz Zaman

Many people are not going to India because of the complications related to visa issue of India and fear of harassment or detention at the airport since August 5. As a result, the number of passengers on various routes of the country has decreased significantly.

Meanwhile, the concerned officials of the airlines say that even 50 percent of the capacity passengers are not available on Dhaka to Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi routes.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, NovoAir, India's Vistara Airlines, Air India and IndiGo are currently operating flights from Bangladesh to various routes in India. Companies operate flights from Dhaka to Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai routes.

It is known that the Kolkata route fare is 12,500 to 18,000 taka depending on the airlines. But the passenger shortage is such that a private airline flight went to Kolkata with only 12 passengers.

After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, India stopped the visa process. After that, the visa program was launched in a limited form. So the airlines are in passenger crisis.

On the Kolkata route, US-Bangla Airlines operated 21 flights a week from Dhaka and Chittagong. Currently they are operating six flights. The Chennai route has been reduced from 11 flights a week to five.

General Manager (Public Relations) of US-Bangla Airlines. Kamrul Islam UNI that after August 5, the number of passengers on various routes from Bangladesh to Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, etc. has drastically decreased due to the complications related to visa issue in India.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines earlier operated 14 flights a week on the Kolkata route. Currently, this number is seven. Apart from this, the number of flights on Chennai and Delhi routes has also decreased.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Public Relations General Manager Bashra Islam told Ganamadhya that 40 to 48 percent of capacity passengers are available on Dhaka to Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi routes. Rest of the seats are going empty.

Meanwhile, Jamai Adre is able to pass the immigration without any fear despite the complaints against many. It has been alleged that officials of a category have been given a lift in exchange of large sums of money.

However, a source said today that Pakistan will soon operate its PIA Airlines on the Dhaka-Karachi-Islamabad route without any transit.

Sources said that although free visas are available among the SAARC countries, Pakistan and India have not allowed them to be visa-free. Pakistan has already introduced free visa system but no travel facility. A large number of tourists and patients will visit Pakistan if the visa system is simplified and travel facilities are increased.