In a major development, the All Tripura Hotel & Restaurant Owners’ Association (ATHROA) resolved on Monday (2nd December) to ban serving guests from Bangladesh. The Association took this decision in the wake of the disrespect for the Indian flag and atrocities against minority Hindus by Bangladeshi Islamists.
ATHROA general secretary Saikat Bandyopadhyay said that this decision was taken at an emergency meeting on Monday. “We are a secular country and have respect for all religions. Our national flag has been desecrated and minorities are facing oppression by a section of fundamentalists in Bangladesh. Earlier too such incidents used to take place but now it has crossed the limit. The prevailing situation in Bangladesh is really worrisome. We serve the people who are coming to Tripura for various purposes. We condemn the treatment meted out to minorities in Bangladesh,” he said.
Thousands of people gathered in Tripura’s capital Agartala on Monday to protest ISKCON leader Chinmoy Prabhu’s arrest in Bangladesh on sedition charges.
Earlier, the ILS Super Speciality Hospital in Agartala announced that it would no longer provide treatment to Bangladeshi nationals. This decision comes amid growing protests from various nationalist organizations in the state, which have been fueled by recent attacks against minority Hindus in Bangladesh.
The hospital, which had previously been a key healthcare provider for patients from across the border, has suspended its services for Bangladeshi citizens following a meeting of its executive committee yesterday. ILS Hospital has been a popular destination for medical treatment, with around 100 patients from Bangladesh crossing the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Agartala each month. This follows a decision by the JN Ray Hospital in Kolkata to stop treating patients from Bangladesh.
Tanuj Saha, the manager of the ILS Super Speciality Hospital confirmed the decision in an exclusive conversation, stating that the hospital had faced increasing pressure from protesters demanding a halt to foreign patients’ access, in light of the escalating violence against minorities in Bangladesh. Saha explained that the hospital’s administration, in consultation with local authorities, took the step to ensure the safety and well-being of both patients and staff. The protests have seen participation from various nationalist groups, who argue that the influx of foreign nationals for medical treatment is inappropriate amidst the current political and social climate.
