Delayed visa appointments to Bangladesh hits business

kolkata: With most people getting delayed visa appointments for Bangladesh, it is becoming difficult for businessmen to carry out their business with Bangladesh

due to the slow pace of visa appointments.

Senior officials of the state government said that they have urged the Bangladesh government to expedite the visa appointment process as small businessmen are facing trouble due to delayed visa appointments.

A senior official of the state government said: "Most of the small businessmen who are into textile business tend to go to Bangladesh via Gede in Nadia but as they are yet to receive the visa appointment they are unable to go to Bangladesh to start their business."

Officials of the state government said as visa appointments have been going at a very slow pace, tourism from India has also been affected badly in Bangladesh. The traders association have urged the state government to look into the matter and requested the government so that they can urge the Bangladesh High Commission to expedite the visa process as early as possible.

Many local traders were unhappy as the confusion at the border caused them to lose a day's business.

Shibnath Das, a foreign exchange agent, said that they had been living hand-to-mouth since Gede was closed a-year-and-a-half ago due to the pandemic.

He added that before the lockdown, they had bulk business and 2,000 to 3,000 people would cross the border daily.