India-Bangladesh trade, which was closed since August 5 amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh, has been partially restored through various land ports in West Bengal. Officials said on Wednesday that trade between the two countries is expected to be normal soon. Trade of mostly perishable goods has been restored at the land ports of Hili, Changrabandha, Mahadipur, Fulbari and Gojadanga. According to the news, Sajidur Rahman, general secretary of Benapole C&F Staff Association, said that a meeting has been held between the two land ports. It is expected that trade will be restored at six in the morning tomorrow.
Movement of some goods has started
Benapole is located on the Bangladesh side of Petrapole border, South Asia’s largest land port in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) was also in Petrapole on Tuesday to review the situation on the international border in view of the crisis in Bangladesh. Joydev Sarkar, an official of the Carrying and Forwarding Agents Welfare Association, said trucks are being prepared and some goods have started moving towards Bangladesh via Ghojadanga. This has been possible because the situation in Bhomra in the neighbouring country on the other side of Ghojadanga remains stable.
These items are exported
Major items like black stone, amla, chilli, turmeric and wheat bran are exported to Bangladesh from the land port in North 24 Parganas district. Another trader said that trucks are also being prepared for export of goods at Mahadipur in Malda. An official of the C&F Agents Association at Bangladesh’s Benapole port said that trade has not yet resumed. Ujjwal Saha, secretary of the West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee, said empty trucks that went to Bangladesh to unload goods exported before the unrest are returning. India is concerned about the law and order situation in Bangladesh and reports of attacks on minorities and has beefed up security at all land borders with the neighbour.
Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner in South Asia. India is also its neighbour’s second-largest trading partner in Asia. India’s exports to Bangladesh are expected to fall from US$12.21 billion in 2022-23 to $11 billion in 2023-24. Imports also fell to $1.84 billion in the last fiscal from $2 billion in 2022-23.
