Now let's see why the number is so poor for Pakistan and rich for India. In the first place India is a next door neighbour. It is a big country with huge resources and opportunities for the world tourists. People go there for visit, treatment, education and many other purposes. Journey to India is much cheaper and easier. It has been made easier by the opening up of land routes serviced by direct buses. Further, visa is very liberal.

Against the above, a visit to Pakistan is almost an ordeal. The first hurdle is the restricted issuance of visa which the Federal Minister had hinted will be liberalised. The High Commission here follows the policy of generally saying no to a visa seeker. A typical test case may explain.

One Abdul Hamid made his way into the Pakistan High Commission premises to get a visa since he has relations in Pakistan. On the first day, he was told that his forms were not properly filled in although there were no major mistakes. Then he was told to come after a week. That man was from up north. He faced considerable inconvenience in boarding and lodging for a week as he was poor. A week passed and the designated day came. He was hopeful. He saw the official concerned. The responsible person instead of issuing a visa gave him a printed chit with the telephone and fax number of the Interior Ministry in Islamabad to get a clearance from there to enable him to issue the visa. It came as bolt from the blue for him since the ordeal he faced for a week went in vain and it seemed almost impossible for him to get a clearance from Pakistan as he knew nobody in Islamabad. With a broken heart he returned and narrated the sad story of seeking a Pakistani visa.

The other notable problem is the very high cost of passage money. The only route open is transportation by air. It now costs around Tk 36,000/- for a person to travel by air, apart from the incidental costs. Bangladesh is poor country with around less than US$400 per capita income. That being so the people in general cannot afford the luxury of travel to Pakistan. Yes, they can if the travel cost is reduced.

In the above circumstances, if the leadership is really sincere to foster trade and tourism in SAARC counties in general, and between Bangladesh and Pakistan in particular, then the following steps, as also hinted by the Pakistani Federal Tourism Minister, may be helpful:

(1) Liberalise visa restrictions in the real sense, no reference to Pakistan. The authorities in the Pakistan High Commission here should be competent enough to issue visa to genuine passport holders.

(2) Reduce the airfare by introducing domestic rates in the SAARC countries.

(3) Open up new travel routes between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Rail route via India may be opened. There is good sea-route between Bangladesh and Pakistan (Chittagong-Karachi). Until 1971, the sea route was served by liner ships between Chittagong and Karachi. The fare was very low. This may be re-opened. With the above measures, it is hoped that tourism, travel, trade etc. will substantially pick up momentum, bilaterally and regionally. More inter-action among the peoples will help develop people to people contact and, thereby, regional tension will also be reduced meaningfully. The improved relationship between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear rivals, is a point in reference. The same would happen in the case of Bangladesh and Pakistan if identical measures are taken.

Abu Imran is a retired govt official.