Indian strike halts trade via Benapole

Trade through Benapole land port remained suspended from yesterday morning due to a strike called by two Indian associations over allegations of being harassed by Bangladeshi port labourers.

On July 26, the two trade bodies of truck owners and transport owners submitted their written complaints to the authorities concerned and the Bangladesh embassy in India and announced to go for the strike on July 30.

Around 2,500 trucks in Petrapole and 300 in Benapole got stranded because of the strike, said Mofizur Rahman Sajjan, president of the Benapole C&F Agents Association.

The government earned revenues worth Tk 48.72 crore through the Benapole port in fiscal 2017-18.

In the written complaint, Dilip Das, president of the All India Federation of Truck Owners Association, complained of Indian truck drivers being regularly harassed and tortured at the Benapole land port.

He said the night guards, handling workers, employees of clearing and forwarding agents, Ansar men and shed in-charges in Benapole have been harassing their drivers.

However, the work suspension did not hurt the other activities of the port, including goods delivery and movement of travellers.

Indian truck driver Pradeep Kumar told The Daily Star that they will not bring any truck to Bangladesh if the problems are not resolved.

Five Bangladeshi organisations of the port users in Benapole started discussions with their Indian counterparts in Petrapole at around 12:00pm yesterday but could not reach a settlement till 6:00pm.