Trade Resumes Between India and Bangladesh After Two-Day Halt

Trade between India and Bangladesh, stalled for two days due to violence in Bangladesh, resumed. Major land ports in West Bengal saw activity after Bangladeshi Customs resumed work. Despite slow flow due to congestion, officials expect normalization soon. 800 trucks were stranded during the shutdown.

Trade between India and Bangladesh, which had been stalled for the last two days due to violence in the neighboring country, resumed on Wednesday.

Trade activities across major land ports in West Bengal, including Petrapole, Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur, resumed after Bangladeshi Customs restarted operations and internet services were restored, an export body official announced.

Kamlesh Saini, manager of the Land Port Authority of India (Petrapole), stated, "Trade has resumed from the Petrapole border since this morning after the Benapole side reopened to receive cargo."

Petrapole, located in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, is South Asia’s largest land port and is vital for India-Bangladesh trade.

According to Sajedur Rahman, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, 220 trucks entered Bangladesh from Petrapole while 27 trucks arrived in India today. The trade resumption follows the restoration of Bangladesh’s customs department and internet services. Though congestion is currently slowing down the flow, normalization is expected in the coming days, as stated by Ujjal Saha, Secretary of the West Bengal Exporters’ Coordination Committee.

Bilateral trade had halted due to a nationwide holiday in Bangladesh amid student protests over job quotas and general unrest. Typically, 400-450 trucks cross from India to Bangladesh via Petrapole, while 150-200 trucks move in the opposite direction daily. Until Monday, 800 trucks were stranded due to the shutdown.

Priority is being given to perishable cargo as the shutdown caused a spike in the prices of essential commodities. Saini also noted that the passenger flow from the Bangladesh side, primarily comprising students, continues uninterrupted.

(With inputs from agencies.)