Benapole port suffers 20-hr loadshedding a day
Power outage for around 20 hours a day is causing serious disturbance to activities in Benapole land port, much to the nuisance of exporters, importers and port officials.
Nearly all the works in country's largest land port are now being conducted with the help of generators.
“It has become very difficult to conduct the activities with a generator. The computer server at the customs office crashes frequently. Several printers went out of order recently,” said Dr Abdul Mannan Shikder, commissioner of Benapole Customs House.
Power cuts amid hot weather makes it difficult to continue work, said Port Director Shyam Kishore Roy.
Businessmen regularly using the land port said theft incidents have increased badly during the night.
About 90 percent of the imported Indian goods enter Bangladesh through Benapole port. Yearly product handling of the port is around 14 lakh tonnes, which brings the government about Tk 1,600 crore as revenue annually.
There are 36 sheds, yard and transhipment yard at Benapole port located on about 57 acres of land.
With an average capacity of around 38,000 tonnes, the port often accommodates double the amount.
“We have been urging the authorities to solve electricity problem in the country's most important land port for a long time. Works are being regularly delayed,” Mafizur Rahman Sajan, vice president of Benapole C and F Agents Association, said.
DGM of Sharsha Palli Bidyut Abdul Latif said, “We cannot do much about the power shortage as the power supply is being controlled directly by Dhaka and Jessore offices.”
A plan was taken to arrange a separate power line for Benapole during the tenure of last BNP-led four-party alliance government but it did not see implementation.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments