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The crisis in Bangladesh has hit the Indo-Bangla cross-border trade.
Nearly 800-1,000 trucks loaded with perishable as well as non-perishable items have been stranded in land border posts on either side of the border along West Bengal.
Goods movement is worst hit at the land customs station at Ghojadanga in North-24 Parganas and Mahadipur in West Bengal’s Malda district. Trade has also slowed down significantly through Petrapole land port in North-24 Parganas.
Movement through Ghojadanga was slow for the past month due to some local issues. Trade, though, has nearly come to a standstill due to widespread violence in Bangladesh over the last two weeks.
A popular uprising demanding fair trial of Liberation war criminals has so far claimed over nearly 50 lives in Bangladesh. According to Amitava Mitra, general secretary of the apex truckers’ body (Sara Bangla Truck Parichalak Sangathan Samannay Samity) in the State, a large number of Indian truckers have run to safety in India, leaving vehicles in Bangladesh.
Unconfirmed reports estimate the average trade lost at nearly Rs 200 crore a day. The bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh stands at about $5.5 billion (approximately Rs 22,000 crore). The Petrapole border accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the total trade.
India primarily exports raw cotton, agri commodities, vehicles and auto-parts, cement and steel to Bangladesh.
The import list includes apparels, raw jute, fish and other food items.
Concern for exporters
“There are a number of perishable items like onion and other vegetables which are exported to Bangladesh. There is a high possibility of these getting spoilt if the situation does not improve early,” Mitra said.
This apart, the huge backlog of waiting trucks at these border posts could cost most exporters dear as they would have to bear the transaction costs.
If the situation intensifies then things could get worse, said Anupam Shah, Vice-Chairman of EEPC India.
Yarn exports from India could be impacted if the situation continues for a long time, said Sanjay Jain, Joint Managing Director of cotton textiles maker T. T. Ltd.
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