As B'desh gears up for polls, buzz goes missing from Bengal's border bazaars
Times of India | 2 January 2024
BONGAON/MALDA/MURSHIDABAD: The upcoming election in Bangladesh has not only kept the neighbouring country on the boil for more than a month but has sapped the life out of border markets in Bengal where transactions have reduced to a trickle.
Bangladesh goes to polls on January 7, its 12th general election since gaining independence in 1971.
At Motiganj Bazar in Bongaon, the buzz has been missing for several weeks.The market, barely 6km from the Benapole-Petrapole border, usually bustles with Bangladeshi traders and tourists all year round. Business in Taw Bazar and Batar More has also been listless. Bangladeshis throng these markets to buy utensils, cosmetics, spices, fruits, blankets and costume jewellery.
"I visit Motiganj Bazar to buy blankets, utensils, cooking oil and spices. We don't get such good quality in Bangladesh," said Afroza Bibi, who comes to Bongaon very often from Khulna.
Jiban Kar from Bangladesh's Jessore district said he hadn't visited Bongaon since mid-November when the election was announced. "Poll-related restrictions have almost suspended my business activities," said Kar, who is engaged in export-import trade.
Binay Sinha, secretary of the Bongaon Chamber of Commerce, said the decline in trade on this side of the border coincided with the beginning of election campaign on the other side. “People in Bangladesh are now in election mood and business activities have slowed down. It is affecting trade on this side of the border as well,” he said.
Bongaon Municipality chairman Gopal Seth said economic activity in the entire belt had taken a hit due to the elections across the border. Owners of roadside eateries, tea stalls, guest houses, rickshaw pullers, auto and Toto drivers and transporters have all seen a dip in earnings over the past few weeks. “Everyone is waiting for the election in Bangladesh to get over.
Bookings at my establishment have reduced by 80% in the past 45 days,” said Biswajit Das of Ma Santoshi Guest House in Bongaon. In Murshidabad, border markets like Aurangabad and Jalangi that normally throb with activities till 11.30 pm are falling silent by 8.30 pm these days.
Businessman Kalam Shah, who sells made-in-Bangladesh soap, hair oil and other such products that are popular in the belt, said trade had taken a hit as patrolling had increased on either side of the border because of the upcoming elections. “Most of the goods that are traded in these markets are smuggled in.
Though there is no fence along this stretch as the Padma acts as a natural border, patrolling has intensified along the banks and that has impacted trade,” he said. Trade has also taken a beating at the land ports of Mahadipur in Malda and Hili in South Dinajpur since the announcement of polls in Bangladesh.
Uzzwal Saha, general secretary of West Bengal Exporters’ Coordination Committee, claimed volume of exports has dropped 75% this December compared to same month last year. Stone chips from India form a large chunk of exports. Construction picks up once monsoon is over but since the poll was declared, construction activities in Bangladesh have ground to a halt. Also hit has been the export of poultry feed, cattle feed and fruits that pass through the land ports.
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