Siliguri hoteliers suspend accommodation for Bangladeshi nationals amid regional tensions

Kolkata: An association of hoteliers in West Bengal has decided to temporarily stop providing accommodation to Bangladeshis in and around Siliguri in view of political turmoil in the neighbouring country.

According to a recent notice issued by the Greater Siliguri Hoteliers Welfare Association, the decision was linked to incidents that have strained India-Bangladesh relations, including alleged disrespect towards the Indian flag and provocative statements by a section of Bangladeshi citizens.

The hoteliers' organisation said the move was aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of guests and hotel staff in the current sensitive climate.

Members of the association will not permit the check-in of Bangladeshi nationals until further notice, a functionary of the organisation said.

Siliguri, located close to the international border in north Bengal and the strategically sensitive Siliguri corridor, connecting mainland India with the northeastern states, has been a major entry point for Bangladeshi visitors travelling to India on tourist, medical and student visas.

The association said the restriction would be reviewed periodically based on the evolving situation, with the "possibility of reinstating accommodation facilities once conditions are deemed safe and respectful".

Member hotels have been urged to strictly adhere to the decision to maintain uniformity and solidarity across the association.

Sources said the association has around 180 member hotels in and around Siliguri, all of which are following the decision.

Nearly 50 additional hotels, which are not members of the association, have also voluntarily begun adhering to the restriction, they said.

Hoteliers in West Bengal's Malda district are considering a similar move. The Malda Hotel Owners Association, which has around 250 member hotels, is expected to hold a meeting to discuss whether to impose restrictions on accommodating Bangladeshi nationals, the sources said.