Bangladesh urges West Bengal to resume imports

Bangladeshi traders have urged the West Bengal state authorities to allow resuming shipment of goods from Bangladesh to India, officials said today.

With reopening of the Ghojadanga land port in North 24 Parganas district yesterday, all major checkpoints have been opened for Indian exports to Bangladesh but imports from the neighbouring country are yet to resume, they said.

The Benapole Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents' Association has submitted a letter to the Bongoan Sub Divisional Officer of West Bengal, seeking a meeting with the authorities to resume "their exports that have not been permitted", the officials said.

The Bangladeshi traders have assured the Indian authorities that they will follow all health safety protocols during the Covid-19 outbreak.

"There should be mutual faith. If we believe India, then we also expect a reciprocating effect in our case. So, India should take steps to begin imports and allow our exports to commence as trade and eco-system are suffering due to low volume," the letter to the SDO said.

The letter came close on the heels of resumption of India's exports to Bangladesh through various land ports in West Bengal.

Raw jute is an important commodity that is imported from Bangladesh. 

A notification by the customs department of Bangladesh said Bangladesh can export to India between 6am and 6pm and drivers of trucks should have protective gears. Drivers will not be allowed to get down from the vehicles at the Indian unloading sites.

After the resumption of exports earlier this month, the delivery of consignments via Petrapole land port, the largest facility on the India-Bangladesh border, has reached a healthy level with 250 trucks per day crossing over to Bangladesh, officials said.

Exports to the neighbouring country through other land ports in West Bengal like Mahadipur in Malda district, Changrabandha in Cooch Behar, Fulbari in Jalpaiguri, Hilli in South Dinajpur district.