Benapole rail imports decline sharply in FY25

Imports through the Benapole-Petrapole rail route—the main gateway for Bangladesh-India trade—have plunged to an unprecedented low in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with the import of food and several other commodities coming to a complete halt. 
No food items have arrived by rail over the past year, triggering frustration and anxiety among traders.
According to railway sources, only 8,300 tonnes of goods were imported through this route in FY25, generating Tk1.21 crore in revenue. By contrast, rail-borne imports stood at 78,200 tonnes in FY24 and 107,200 tonnes in FY23.
In 2025, no food or other commercial goods were imported by rail; only a few tractors arrived in 2024, while some railway sleepers were brought in this year. Imports of clinker, stone chips, coal, food grains, cement raw materials, cotton, tractors and garment accessories have fallen sharply.
Traders attribute the downturn primarily to a shortage of rakes from Indian Railways, weak infrastructure at Benapole station, a lack of modern equipment, labour shortages, and poor coordination among customs, railway and port authorities.
Aminul Haque Anu, Vice President, Benapole Importer and Exporters association said four to six rakes used to arrive every week, but now some weeks pass without a single rake. 
“Businesses cannot run on such uncertainty. That’s why we are being forced to shift to road transport,” he said. He added that irregular rake supply from Indian Railways is the biggest cause of losses, as consignments remain stuck for long periods, raising costs.
Importer Md Al Mamun echoed the concern, saying he has used the rail route for 12 years because it is cheaper for bulk cargo. 
“But we are not getting that benefit anymore. The infrastructure at Benapole rail station is outdated, forklifts are inadequate and labour shortages persist. It takes eight to ten hours to unload a rake here, whereas the same job is done in two hours at Petrapole in India. The numbers simply don’t add up,” he said.
Port users and traders said rail transport once allowed them to import goods faster and at lower cost, benefiting both businesses and government revenue. Food items, raw materials, cotton and tractors were commonly imported by rail through Benapole-Petrapole. 
However, due to visa complications and the current situation in the country, no food or raw materials have arrived through the route over the past six months, hurting the government, railway authorities, traders and port users alike.
Emdadul Haque Lata, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Agents Association, said rail is the country’s cheapest mode of transport. “If rail imports decline, transportation costs will rise, directly affecting market prices,” he warned. 
He urged a permanent rake-supply agreement with Indian Railways, construction of a modern rail terminal, faster unloading systems, and stronger coordination among customs, rail and port authorities.
Benapole railway station master Aynal Hasan said no rice, wheat, maize, chilli, onion or potato has arrived by train in the past six months. 
“The rake shortage is beyond our control. Imports are being disrupted due to irregular supply from Indian Railways. We hope imports will pick up once the situation improves,” he said.
Benapole land port Director Shamim Hossain described the decline in rail imports as worrying. 
“Rail transport is supposed to be fast, safe and profitable. But problems in the rail system, yard constraints and irregular rake supply from Indian Railways are discouraging traders,” he said, adding that efforts are underway with the railway and port authorities to reduce clearance time and ease documentation bottlenecks.