Trucks with EXIM goods resume ops at Petrapole-Benapole border

Kolkata: After almost three days of trade closure between India and Bangladesh through the Petrapole border, full-fledged movement of trucks resumed from Thursday.

However, a few trucks carrying perishable goods such as vegetables, fruits and others were allowed to cross the border on Wednesday.

Due to the unrest situation in Bangladesh, imports and exports between the two countries were completely suspended on Monday and Tuesday. Around 800 trucks got stranded at the Petrapole border owing to the sudden suspension of import and export.

On Thursday, the trade between the two countries resumed. Around 8 am, movement of trucks started. However, the number of Bangladeshi trucks that had come to India was quite less in number.

According to the Petrapole Exporters Importers Welfare Association, usually on an average, about 400 trucks enter Bangladesh with goods every day while about 200 trucks come from Bangladesh. “For the two days of complete trade shutdown between the two countries, a loss worth hundreds of crores incurred,” said Pradip Dey, secretary of the association.

Sources informed that the movement of Indian trucks are restricted to the customs area of Bangladesh, which is about a few hundred meters from the Benapole border (Bangladesh). Before the trucks enter the Benapole border, the information is being communicated to the Bangladesh administration.

After crossing the border, necessary arrangements are being done by the Bangladesh administration to provide necessary security for the trucks till the vehicles reach the customs area.