Benapole port to remain open 24/7

The stakeholders of Benapole land port have decided to keep the trading point open 24/7 to help the businesses cover up the losses caused by the pandemic.

Banks will also be kept open on Friday to boost goods delivery and revenue collection in the port through which Tk 32,000 crore worth of trade takes place every year.

The decision was taken in a joint meeting of trade associations, customs and port authorities of Bangladesh and India on Thursday morning.

Export-import through the port restarted on June 1 after remaining closed for two-and-a-half months and stranding some 5,000 trucks loaded with goods due to the coronavirus outbreak.

But the traders are paying a heavy price for their imports, as India's Petrapole port is charging Rs 20,000 from each truck in additional charges along with the regular port fees.

"The government withdrew the port charges for the trucks stuck in Chattogram port.

The same should be done for Benapole port also, where 60,000 tonnes of goods got stranded," said Matiar Rahman, a director of India Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce.

Benapole is the largest land port in the country from where the government earns more than Tk 5,000 crore a year, he said.

"Most of the raw materials of Bangladesh's industrial sector and garment factories are imported from India through the Benapole port."

Benapole Custom House has decided to keep the port open on a holiday like Friday to meet its revenue collection target of Tk 5,000 crore this fiscal year, said Mamun Tarafdar, a director of Benapole port.