Cross-border trade to suffer if turmoil in Bangladesh continues
The Statesman | 21 July 2024
Cross-border trade is expected to be affected, according to sources at the two land ports in North 24-Parganas, Petrapole and Ghojadanga. Sources also said that as the Bangladesh government has imposed nationwide curfews, loading and unloading trade businesses at Ghojadanga and Petrapole-Benapole border would be largely affected.
The situation in Bangladesh is very volatile now. Upon receiving this news, many Bangladeshis residing here have started returning, via the Petrapole border. Their concern is evident on their faces. If the situation in Bangladesh does not normalize soon, cross-border trade is expected to be affected, according to sources at the two land ports in North 24-Parganas (Petrapole and Ghojadanga), said a senior clearing agent at Petrapole border. Santosh Das, a resident of Shariatpur in Dhaka had come to India on a tourist visa, last Saturday. Hearing about the situation in his country, he returned on Friday. Standing at the Petrapole border, he said, “I heard that transportation in Dhaka has stopped and internet services are down. I cannot contact my family. I am returning with concern. I do not know if I will find any transportation from Benapole to Dhaka.”
Santosh is against the quota system in government jobs. He said, “Family members of freedom fighters receive government allowances and houses. Why should they also have reservations in government jobs? I support the protesters.” Several other Bangladeshis returning via the same border expressed similar sentiments. The unrest in Bangladesh has impacted transportation at Petrapole. There are private bus services from Petrapole border to Kolkata, mainly used by Bangladeshis. Due to the reduced number of passengers from Bangladesh, most of these buses were idle at the border on Friday. However, according to Petrapole port sources, a government bus that travels between India and Bangladesh went to Bangladesh on Friday morning. Petrapole is the largest land port in India.
Most of the trade with Bangladesh via land route happens through here. On Friday, however, cross-border trade was halted. According to Kamlesh Saini, manager of the Land Port Authority of India’s Petrapole, import-export activities were normal through the Petrapole border until Thursday. However, those involved in trade believe that if the situation does not normalize soon, trade will be affected.
Kartik Chakraborty, secretary of the Petrapole Clearing Agent Staff Welfare Association, said, “On Thursday, 339 trucks were used for exports and 229 trucks for imports. Goods are currently being transported to various areas in Bangladesh from the Benapole port at night due to the unrest. If the situation in Bangladesh is not brought under control, trade will be impacted.”
Very few people come from Bangladesh via the Ghojadanga border in Basirhat on Friday. Kanti Dutta, associated with trade at this border, said, “Our trade is closed on Fridays. However, with the current unrest in Bangladesh, there is a risk of import-export activities being halted. If trade is stopped, it will result in losses worth crores of rupees for businesses on both sides.”