Trade resumes at Benapole port after eight-day suspension

Import and export activities between Bangladesh and India through Benapole land port resumed on Saturday morning after an eight-day suspension for Durga Puja and weekly holidays.
Around 3,000 port workers returned to work to handle cargo loading and unloading, while thousands of trucks carrying goods remained stuck on both sides of the border due to the prolonged shutdown. 
Port sources said passenger movement between the two countries using passports remained normal during the closure.
Shri Kartik Chakraborty, general secretary of India's Petrapole C&F Agent Staff Association, and Badruzzaman Boni, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Agent Staff Association, said that trade resumed following a joint decision by traders from both countries to minimise losses caused by the prolonged suspension.
Aminul Haq, vice-president of the Benapole Port Importers and Exporters Association, said businessmen, clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents, customs officials and port workers had resumed operations to clear the accumulated cargo.
He said thousands of trucks were waiting to enter the port, creating congestion on both sides of the border. 
However, the resumption of trade and cargo handling was gradually easing the backlog.
On average, around 500 trucks cross the border through Benapole land port daily, generating approximately Tk20 crore in government revenue. 
Ruhul Amin, acting director of Benapole Port, said all officials and employees who had been on leave had returned to their posts. He added that relevant personnel had been instructed to expedite cargo clearance to ease congestion and clear the backlog of trucks.