The revenue deficit at Bhomra land port stands at Tk 364 crore during the last 11 months due to adverse impact of Covid-19.
It is learnt that the revised target of revenue earning was fixed at Tk 11.21 billion during 2020-2021 fiscal year but Tk 7.27 billion was received as against the revised target.
According to sources, the distance from Kolkata to Satkhira being only 75-kilometre, importers and exporters are more interested to use Bhomra land port to carry their goods. But due to lack of infrastructure development and no facility to import or export all sort of goods through the port, the traders are losing interest to use the port. The traders at the port informed, the revenue earning from the port would increase manifold if facilities at the port are increased.
Bhomra land port sources informed though the operation of the land port starts after three months of closure due to countrywide Covid-19 infection, the normal activities of the port has not yet been resumed in the full swing. Moreover, reluctance of in import and export of goods through this port is another cause of revenue deficit.
The sources further informed in 2019-'20 fiscal year, the NBR fixed a target of revenue earning of Bhomra land port at Taka 11.86 billion but the actual earning during the period was Tk 5. 83 billion, a deficit of Tk 6.29 billion of the target.
Maksudur Rahman, proprietor of M&S Traders at Bhomra land port complained no concession is given for the traders at the Bhomra land port that is why the importers and the exporters were avoiding to use the port. He further said, traders are offered special facilities for importing raw materials through Benapole land port but no such facility is offered from Bhomra land port. Moreover, there is delay in releasing goods and various mismanagement at the Bhomra land port which are the causes of losing interest to use the port by the traders and, thus, the casue of the revenue deficit of the port.
Bhomra land port authorities informed before the Coronavirus infection, at least 35o trucks laden with imported goods entered into the port and 100 trucks laden with exported goods were carried to India daily. But now only 275 to 3oo trucks with imported goods and 49- 50 trucks with exported goods are released through the port.
HM Arafat, President of Bhomra land port C&F Association informed, in 1996 when the Bhomra land port was inaugurated, the target of revenue earning was only Taka one crore.
Now, the target is fixed at more than Taka 10 billion. Though traders are permitted to import 75 types of goods, in reality, only 25 to 30 types of goods are imported through the port. He said due to dual policy, the target of revenue earning is not achieved in Bhomra
land port.
Amir Mamun, Assistant Commissioner of Bhomra land port informed the target of revenue earning could not be achieved at the landport due to impact of Coronavirus and some other reasons. He said traders are importing less goods through the landport. Moreover, the activities of the landport remained suspended for last three months due to impact of Coronavirus.
