Benapole Port resumes activities after eight days

Import and export activities through Benapole Port resumed on Saturday after remaining suspended for eight consecutive days. Around 3,000 workers joined their duties in the morning to load, unload and clear goods. This has restored activity at the port.

According to port sources, import and export activities between the two countries remained suspended for eight consecutive days due to the combination of the Sharadiya Durga Puja holidays and the weekly weekend. However, the movement of passport holding travelers remained normal during this period.

Abdul Latif, joint general secretary of the Benapole Port Importers and Exporters Association, said import and export activities between the two countries through the port resumed on Saturday morning after an eight-day suspension. Businesspeople, C&F agents, port and customs officials and employees, along with workers, have been busy loading, unloading and clearing goods.

He further said the long holiday had caused traffic congestion and a backlog of goods on both sides of the border. Several thousand cargo trucks were waiting to enter the port. However, traffic congestion and the backlog of goods have gradually started to ease since import and export activities resumed.

Ariful Islam, assistant commissioner of Benapole Customs House, said around 500 trucks of goods are imported and exported through the port every day. The government earns around Tk 200 million in revenue from the port daily. The suspension of operations for eight consecutive days deprived the government of approximately Tk 1.6 billion in potential revenue.

Ruhul Amin, acting director of Benapole Port, said import and export activities resumed at the port on Saturday morning after the holidays. Officials and employees who had been on leave also returned to work. He said field level officials had been instructed to expedite the loading, unloading and clearance of goods to ease traffic congestion and the backlog of goods.