Export-import activities on the India-Bangladesh border have been facing serious disruption for the last several months against the backdrop of the country’s ongoing political turmoil.
There has been a big slump in the revenue income of the Benapole land due to frequent hartal and strike enforced by the trade union.
The trade activities between Bangladesh and neighbouring India are facing stagnation thanks to the situation.
As a consequence, the port earned Tk400 crore less revenue than the target in the first eight months of the current fiscal year (2012-13).
The government has suffered a loss of Tk65 crore revenue for suspension of export-import activities on March 14 due to strike, for government holidays on March 15, 16 and 17 and for a 36-hour hartal on March 18 and 19 enforced by the main opposition BNP.
On March 14, export-import activities between the two countries remained suspended as the truck workers called a strike protesting the assault on Ayub Hossain, a Bangladeshi truck driver, by the Petrapole port workers.
About 2,000 trucks remained stranded in the Petrapole land port in India and 1,100 goods-laden trucks in Benapole port due to the six days’ halt of trade activities on the Benapole side.
General Secretary of Petrapole Staff Welfare Clearing Agent Association of India Kartik Chatterjee said several hundred trucks loaded with perishable goods and garment raw materials remained stuck on the Petrapole side.
Abdul Auwal, director of the port, said although the internal activities of the port were continuing during the shutdown, loading and unloading activities remained halted as movement of vehicles on the roads remained stopped.
The National Board of Revenue fixed the target of revenue income at Tk2,660 crore for the current fiscal year.
Joint Commissioner of Benapole Customs Akbar Hossain said the land port has so far missed an income of Tk400 crore in its revenue target in the current fiscal.
Though the port’s revenue income target is Tk160.83 crore every month, it realises Tk123.51 crore revenue on an average.
In the current fiscal year, the port has so far earned TK1313.76 crore revenue against its target of
Tk1649.58 till date.
At least 300/400 trucks carry import items from India while 200/300 trucks transport export goods from Bangladesh every day.
At present, only 260 trucks carry import goods while 80/90 trucks transport export items in the country due to frequent strike.
Bangladeshi made garment products including shirts, pants and trousers are largely exported to India through Benapole port.
The country’s apparel sector apprehends a big loss in its market in India due to strike.
Source: UNBConnect
