Import and export trade is being severely hampered due to space crisis and mismanagement at Benapole land port. There is a long line of freight trucks on the road due to lack of space for port maintenance.
It has been seen on the spot that about 2,000 trucks carrying export goods are waiting on the port road waiting to enter India. There are about 5,000 trucks in the Kalitala parking lot in India waiting to enter Benapole port. Traders are not able to import goods as per the demand as there is no space in the port.
Traders said the long-standing demand for port infrastructure development has not met the desired response. As a result of not being able to transport the goods on time, the production process of the industrial factories is being disrupted. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that a class of workers is taking hostage the truck drivers and extorting extra money. However, the concerned authorities do not have a headache with the matter.
Rahmat, a Bangladeshi truck driver carrying export goods, said he arrived at Benapole port on September 12 with export goods. So far he has not been able to enter India. But the leaders of the workers' union are passing the rear truck before with Tk. 4 to 5 thousand per truck. We can't go because we can't pay. However, with this problem the port authorities or customs has no headaches.
Indian truck driver Animesh said he had arrived at the Benapole port after standing in the truck parking lot in Kalikata, India for 16 days. No one has contacted when the goods will be unloaded from the truck in the last 5 days. The menace of thieves in the port has also increased.
Pedestrian Jalil said the 8-kilometer congestion from Benapole check post to Sharsha Bazar. There is no road for human movement. People are to cross the road on foot. Apart from import-export trade, they also travel to India for travel and medical treatment. Everyone is suffering endlessly. Although this situation has been prevailing for the last one month, there is no one to watch.
Aminul Haque, vice-president of the Benapole Import-Export Association, said the demand for import-export with India through Benapole port has increased over time. However, the port infrastructure has not been developed as per the demand. Benapole port has a capacity of 50,000 metric tons of goods. But there are always about one and a half lakh metric tons of goods. Every year, Benapole port imports goods worth Tk. 45,000 crore and exports goods worth Tk. 8,000 crore. Currently, imported goods cannot enter the port due to lack of space. About 5,000 trucks are waiting to arrive at Benapole port in the Kalikata parking lot in Bongaon, India. About 2,000 trucks are waiting to go to India at the Benapole port area for export. These trucks have to pay extra Tk. two thousand per day. This is increasing the cost of import and export. And the traders are being forced to bear the cost and are increasing the price of the product in the domestic market. Although these issues have been raised in various trade meetings, the problems remain unsolved.
Mofizur Rahman Sajan, president of the Benapole C&F Association, said traders were in no way satisfied with the port's infrastructure. Indian traders are also angry. Valuable imported goods have to be left in the open due to lack of space. The quality of the product is deteriorating due to sun and rain. Occasional thefts also occur. Many traders have left Benapole port due to the loss. As a result, revenue is not being collected as per the target of the government for the last 9 years. The ongoing problems will be solved if the infrastructure is developed as per the demand by acquiring the required space. He said it is possible to earn revenue of Tk. 10,000 crore a year.
Benapole Port Deputy Director (Administration) Abdul Jalil said the recent increase in exports has increased the congestion at the port. However, some places have already been acquired to reduce congestion. Some infrastructure has been built there. There are plans to acquire land to further enhance the infrastructure. Once these construction works are completed, trade in this route will be more dynamic.