Bangladeshi traders seek permission from India to resume exports

Traders of Bangladesh have urged the Indian authorities to allow their shipments to enter India, officials said.

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

The Benapole Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents' Association in Bangladesh has submitted a representation to the Bangoan SDO in India, 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 the health safety protocols in the wake of 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 export to commence as trade and eco-system are suffering due to low volume," the letter to the SDO said.

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

A notification by the customs department of the neighbouring country said Bangladesh can export to India between 6 am and 6 pm and drivers of trucks should have protective gears.

According to it, 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 Indo-Bangla 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 such as Mahadipur in Malda, Changrabandha in Cooch Behar, Fulbari in Jalpaiguri, Hilli in South Dinajpur have been picking up, they added.