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Earlier, 700 to 800 trucks of goods were imported daily from India through the land ports of Petrapole in the Indian state of West Bengal and Benapole in Bangladesh. But that number has now dropped to 300 to 400 trucks. That is why about five thousand trucks carrying imported goods are already stuck in the parking lot of Petrapole land port on the other side. Thousands more trucks are stranded at the Petrapole land port.
With so many trucks stuck on the other side, importers are having to pay extra, perishable goods are being wasted, supply of raw materials to various industries in the country is being disrupted and government revenue is declining.
Users of the Benapole land port in Jessore said that trucks carrying imported goods to Bangladesh had to be 'compulsorily' parked in the Kalitala parking lot, which is under the Bangaon municipality, before entering the Petrapol land port on the other side of the border. In the name of the municipal authority, 500 Tk per truck was collected daily in the parking lot. Trucks are kept there for 15-20 days to collect additional charges.
Matiar Rahman, director of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and local clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent, said, "Where there is a need for 800 to 900 trucks carrying goods every day, they are leaving 300 to 350 trucks." We are suffering greatly because of this predicament. If the governments of the two countries do not take action in this regard, there is a fear that the import-export trade will collapse.
Source: Online/SZK
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