Customs clearing agents meet to review safety of Indian truck drivers at Benapole

Kolkata, Dec 20 (PTI) Customs clearing agents at Petropole land port on Saturday claimed to have received assurances from Bangladesh authorities that there is no threat to Indian truck drivers at Benapole amid a fresh round of unrest in the neighbouring country.

Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents' Staff Welfare Association general secretary at Petrapole, Kartik Chakraborty, said a meeting was held between customs clearing agents' associations of both Petrapole and Bangladesh's Benapole, along with Bangladeshi authorities, to address concerns related to driver safety.

He said 70-100 Indian trucks stay back at Benapole at any given time, with an average stay of three to four days, largely due to delays in the unloading of export consignments.

Drivers, particularly those from states outside West Bengal, remain at the land port during this period, leading to anxiety amid reports of unrest in the neighbouring country.

"In view of the recent developments and some reported incidents in Bangladesh, we remain concerned. However, the Benapole administration has assured us that these will not have any effect on the port area," Chakraborty told PTI after the meeting.

He said Bangladeshi authorities categorically stated that there was no threat to trade or to Indian truck drivers. However, as a precautionary measure, drivers have been strictly advised not to venture outside the Benapole land port premises.

Chakraborty said many Hindi-speaking drivers venture to nearby markets for groceries, as they usually cook their own meals and are largely vegetarian. They have now been advised to avoid going out until the situation normalises.

In India, security has also been stepped up along the West Bengal border in view of the situation in Bangladesh.

Trade operations at the Petrapole–Benapole land port, one of India's busiest border crossings with Bangladesh, have so far continued without disruption, with authorities closely monitoring the situation.

Nearly 70 per cent of the total land-based trade between India and Bangladesh is routed through Petrapole–Benapole, with annual trade exceeding Rs 30,000 crore.

Various parts of Bangladesh were rocked on Thursday night by attacks and vandalism, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner's residence in Chattogram, attacks on offices of leading newspapers, and vandalism at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, soon after Interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus confirmed youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi's death.

The interim government on Friday urged citizens to resist violence by "fringe elements" as Hadi's body arrived here from Singapore, amid fresh unrest in the capital. PTI BSM RG