People travel abroad for medical treatment with the hope of survival. They carry medical documents in their hands and the last glimmer of hope in their hearts—that they may live for a few more days, months, or years.

But if a cancer patient travels to Kolkata on a medical visa and is then forced out of a hotel, if that sick person has to stand on the street with a bag of medicines, searching for somewhere to spend the night—then it is not merely the suffering of an individual patient; it raises a profound question about humanity.

They did not go there to engage in politics. They did not go there to make any demands. They went there to receive medical treatment, to survive.

If a hotel has to be closed for security reasons, then by all means, let it be closed. But before doing so, it is the responsibility of the state and the administration to arrange safe alternative accommodation for the sick patients staying there.

Our demands are clear—

1. Safe alternative accommodation must be arranged before Bangladeshi patients holding medical visas and their accompanying family members are evicted from hotels.

2. Safe and affordable patient accommodation centres should be established in Kolkata for Bangladeshi patients, preferably near hospitals.

3. A 24-hour emergency helpline and an accommodation assistance desk must be established at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, so that any patient in distress can receive immediate assistance.

4. Lawful and humane policies must be implemented against hotels that cancel bookings or force out patients who have travelled for medical treatment.

5. The Indian authorities must ensure an integrated system of safe accommodation, medical treatment, and transportation for patients holding medical visas.

6. The Government of Bangladesh must raise the issue diplomatically with the Government of India and work towards a permanent solution.

Because—

Hotels may be closed, but the doors of humanity must never be closed.

Forcing a patient undergoing chemotherapy, an elderly heart patient, or a person suffering from a chronic and incurable disease to stand on the street with their luggage is not a reflection of a civilized society.

A patient has no nationality.
Pain has no borders.
Medicine has no religion.
And humanity has no passport.

The Bangladeshi patient searching for shelter on the streets of Kolkata today may be a foreigner to some; but to that patient’s family, they are the entire world.

Therefore, our demand is very clear—A medical visa must not merely be permission to cross a border; it must also be a commitment to ensuring the treatment, safety, shelter, and dignity of a sick human being.

Do not push a person fighting for life into yet another battle.
Stand beside humanity.
Stand beside the people.