YouTuber Sunny Yadav talks about his journey from India to Bangladesh on his two-wheeler
YouTuber Sunny Yadav talks about his journey from India to Bangladesh on his two-wheeler
It took 25-year-old Baya Sunny Yadav more than eight hours to be allowed to enter Bangladesh on her two-wheeler, despite having all valid documents to the border officials in Benapole. Benapole is on the Bangladesh side of the International Petrapole-Benapole border post while Petrapole is in India.
Sunny, a resident of Nuthankal village in Suryapet district in Telangana, started vlogging four years ago to document his journey on his two-wheeler. After traveling to all parts of India, except Sikkim, Sunny decided to travel to Bangladesh when she learned that no two-wheeler had crossed the Indo-Bangladesh border since 1947. Reason: ‘Bangladesh does not allow entry of two wheelers with foreigners. license plates, to prevent illegal sale of vehicles,” claims Sunny. He gathered this information from the strong biker community in Bangladesh, and later he “did some research and found it to be true.”
After receiving his visa to enter Bangladesh, Sunny first flew from Hyderabad to Mumbai for the necessary paperwork for his Triumph Tiger 900 (bike passport). The Western India Automobile Association issues passports for two wheelers. He was also required to obtain a separate visa for his Triumph Tiger 900. “In Bangladesh, the maximum allowed power for motorbikes is 165 cc. Anything more than that the documents are needed to prove that the bike is not crossing the border to be sold. Also, the biker has to deposit 200% on the original price of the vehicle. Since I am a YouTuber, with all the required documents and proofs, I was given a concession on the amount deposited in the High Commission in Mumbai. ,
Yet when Sunny reached the Bangladesh border after riding 3,100 km (Hyderabad-Mumbai-Bangladesh) for eight days, she spent nearly eight hours assuring border officials – with evidence of her travels to places like Nepal. – that he was only entering Bangladesh as a tourist and posted on his YouTube channel which has 1.3 million followers.
Sunny Yadav after entering Bangladesh | photo credit: special arrangement
Sunny who is still in Bangladesh says that he was discouraged by his friends to travel. “He had all the negative things to say about a country he had never been to!” he says.
“Without much thought I decided to go ahead and enter Bangladesh from West Bengal. Biker community in Bangladesh helped with paperwork, information about routes, times, travel season, places to visit and more. When I saw that more than 40 of them were waiting for me in Benapole to welcome me. The people there are friendly and do not discriminate on the basis of nation or religion.”
sunshine on the highway
After spending 17 days in Sylhet, she is amazed by the love and attention being given to her by the people of Bangladesh. “People in Bangladesh love Hindi movies and serials. So they understand Hindi and I am able to communicate with them. Everyone is warm, friendly and curious about India,” says Sunny.
But mostly it is his bike that is turning heads, says a thrilled Sunny.