Staff Reporter :
The departure of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s authoritarian leader of over two decades, on 5th August has left a profound impact on the nation.
Once feared for her heavy-handed governance and accusations of corruption, the former Prime Minister fled the country in the face of widespread student protests. Her ousting has not only shaken Bangladesh politically but has also triggered a significant downturn in Bangladesh-India air travel.
Airlines are now struggling to cope under new restrictions, with passenger numbers plummeting in the wake of her departure.
Visa Suspension Worsens Crisis Following Hasina’s exit, India swiftly suspended visa services for Bangladeshi citizens, further complicating the situation for travellers.
Although India has since resumed limited visa services, the number of visas issued has dramatically decreased, leaving airlines with fewer passengers and rising financial losses. “We are facing unprecedented challenges,” admitted Bosra Islam, General Manager of Public Relations for Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
“In the past two weeks, passenger numbers have dropped so much that we’ve had to cut flights. We used to operate two daily flights to Kolkata; now it’s just one. The same reductions apply to routes like Delhi and Chennai.” Airline Cut Services as Passenger Numbers Dwindle
The political unrest, coupled with the visa halt, has thrown the aviation sector into disarray. Both Bangladeshi and Indian airlines have been forced to reduce their operations drastically. Novoair, a private Bangladeshi airline, has been one of the worst affected.
Once running seven flights weekly between Dhaka and Kolkata, Novoair now operates just three times a week and has announced a complete suspension of services on that route starting 16th September.
The steep decline in passengers, driven by restricted visa issuance and fears of harassment or detention at airports, has left them no choice. “We’ve seen less than half the seats filled on our Kolkata flights,” said Mesbaul Islam, Novoair’s Head of Marketing and Sales. “Without visas, people simply can’t travel. We had no option but to suspend our services.” US-Bangla Airlines has also been hit hard.
The carrier, which once operated 21 weekly flights to Kolkata, has reduced this number to just six. Similarly, flights between Dhaka and Chennai have been slashed from 11 to five per week. **Financial Strain on Airlines** The financial toll on airlines has been considerable. Despite fares on the Dhaka-Kolkata route ranging between 12,000 and 18,000 BDT (approximately £85-£125), airlines are struggling to break even. India’s partial and selective resumption of visa services—limited to medical and educational visas—has left tourists and business travellers stranded. Abdul Mottalib, a digital marketing officer at Airways, a travel agency selling tickets for India’s Vistara Airlines, summed up the frustration: “How can people travel if they can’t get visas?” **Fear and Anxiety at the Airport