India-Bangladesh trade, which was suspended since August 5 amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh, has partially resumed through various land ports in West Bengal. Officials said on Wednesday that trade between the two countries is expected to return to normal soon. Trade of mostly perishable goods has resumed at the land ports of Hili, Changrabandha, Mahadipur, Phulbari and Gojadanga. According to the report, 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 resume at 6 am tomorrow.
Some cargo movement has begun
Benapole is located on the Bangladesh side of the Petrapole border, South Asia’s largest land port in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. The Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) was also at Petrapole on Tuesday to review the situation at the international border in view of the crisis in Bangladesh. Joydev Sarkar, an official of the Carrying and Forwarding Agents Welfare Association, said trucks were being prepared and some cargo movement had started towards Bangladesh via Ghojadanga. This was possible because the situation at Bhomra in the neighbouring country on the other side of Ghojadanga remained stable.
These things are exported
Major commodities such as black stone, amla, chilli, turmeric and wheat bran are exported to Bangladesh from the land port in North 24 Parganas district. Trucks are also being prepared for export at Mahadipur in Malda, another trader said. An official of the C&F Agents Association at Bangladesh’s Benapole port said trade has not resumed yet. Ujjwal Saha, secretary of the West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee, said empty trucks that had gone 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.
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