Kolkata Residents Stranded in Middle East After Iran-Israel Conflict Closes Airspace
From prominent actors and politicians to young professionals and elderly tourists, hundreds of residents from Kolkata have found themselves stranded in Dubai and various parts of the Middle East. This distressing situation unfolded after US-Israel strikes on Iran triggered widespread airspace closures across West Asia, throwing international flight schedules into complete chaos and leaving travelers in a state of uncertainty and fear.
Celebrity and Political Figures Among the Stranded
Among those caught in the crisis is popular actor Subhasree Ganguly, who traveled to Dubai with her young son, Yuvan, just last Saturday. Within mere hours of their arrival, the airport shut down abruptly amid escalating hostilities in the region. Her husband, film director and Trinamool Congress MLA Raj Chakraborty, expressed deep concern over the situation.
"It was an absolutely terrifying experience," Chakraborty stated. "Subhasree reported seeing debris falling from the sky and hearing missile blasts directly from her hotel room. She is currently staying inside the hotel for safety. While friends and relatives in the area are checking on them regularly, as a husband and father, I am extremely anxious about their well-being."
In a related development, family members of senior state minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim are also impacted by the airspace closures. His wife, elder daughter Priyadarshini—who serves as a Trinamool functionary—and her child are currently stranded at a mosque in Saudi Arabia while on a pilgrimage due to the sudden flight suspensions.
In a heartfelt social media post, Priyadarshini confirmed they are safe but expressed anguish over their uncertain return. "The airspace remains closed, and we have no clear idea how to get back home. I pray for peace to prevail, for world leaders to abandon war, and for our safe return soon," she said in a video message, highlighting the particular distress of violence during the holy month of Ramzan.
Personal Accounts of Fear and Disruption
The conflict has deeply affected ordinary citizens from Kolkata as well. In neighboring Abu Dhabi, 55-year-old Belgharia resident Pieu Mukherjee, who traveled to visit her newborn granddaughter in January, described tense nights filled with explosions.
"My granddaughter is just one month old," Mukherjee shared over the phone. "The sound of bombs and shelling is so intense that the building and window panes shake violently. The baby and my five-year-old granddaughter are absolutely terrified by the constant noise."
Mukherjee recounted how the family had stepped out for dinner on Saturday when the situation deteriorated rapidly. "We rushed back to our accommodation immediately. Since then, we have been staying strictly indoors, avoiding even the balcony. We can see smoke filling the sky, very few vehicles are on the roads, and most establishments remain shut." She emphasized that her primary concern is the children's safety rather than her postponed return flight.
Young Professionals Face Soaring Costs and Uncertainty
Two 29-year-old friends from Salt Lake—Upasana Sinha and Konina Biswas—are also stranded in Abu Dhabi after being caught on the road during air strikes on Saturday evening. Sinha, who works for a British multinational firm, explained they had landed in Dubai earlier that day and traveled to Abu Dhabi to meet a friend.
"While returning, we received urgent alerts about the escalating conflict. We witnessed interceptor missiles streaking across the sky and heard loud bangs echoing around us. We scrambled to find hotel accommodation and finally managed to secure a room in Abu Dhabi," Sinha detailed.
According to her account, hotel tariffs surged dramatically overnight. "Rooms that were reasonably affordable on Saturday became nearly ten times more expensive by Sunday. Some establishments are quoting rates close to Rs 1 lakh per night. I have a return ticket for March 3, but I have no idea how I will get back if the airspace remains closed indefinitely," she expressed with concern.
Tour Groups Confined to Hotels Amid Safety Alerts
Organized tour groups from Kolkata have been particularly hard hit by the sudden closures. Bamapada Gangopadhyay, a 63-year-old tour manager, is currently confined to a Dubai hotel lobby with 25 tourists, most of them senior citizens, since Saturday evening.
"We were on a day trip to Abu Dhabi when we observed strange flashes illuminating the sky. Later, we realized these were signs of an active air attack," Gangopadhyay recalled. The group hurried back to Dubai and subsequently received red alert notifications advising them to remain indoors for their safety.
Another tour manager from Dum Dum, Tanay Biswas, reported a similar experience. He and his 25-member group were near Palm Jumeirah when they noticed a massive blaze and immediately rushed back to their hotel. "Later, we learned it was caused by a drone strike," Biswas confirmed, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the conflict situation.
The widespread airspace closures have created a complex humanitarian and logistical challenge, leaving hundreds of Kolkatans anxiously awaiting resolution while prioritizing safety in an increasingly volatile region.
