Benapole land port in Jashore is the largest land port across the country. The import of goods from India using the port is lot, but exports through the port is about one-fourth of the total imports.
In the last five years, 6 lakh 79 thousand 611 metric tonnes of goods have been exported to India through Benapole land port. At the same time, 18 lakh 82 thousand 210 tonnes of Bangladeshi products were imported from India.
According to the Benapole Land Port Authority, 12 lakh 7 thousand 936 tonnes of various goods were imported from India in the 2015-16 financial year.At that time, 4 lakh 65 thousand 739 tonnes of goods were exported to India.
In the 2016-17 financial year, 13 lakh 93 thousand 329 tonnes were imported; 3 lakh 25 thousand 361 tonnes of goods were exported.
In the 2016-17 financial year, the import was 19 lakh 8 thousand 359 tonnes; 3 lakh 52 thousand 963 tonnes of goods were exported. 21 lakh 71 thousand 123 tonnes were imported in 2018-19 financial year; 1 lakh 117 tonnes of goods were exported. In the fiscal year 2019-20, the import were 20 lakh 36 thousand 74 tonnes; The export were 3 lakh 16 thousand 950 tonnes. In the six months from July to December of the fiscal year 2020-21, 16 lakh five thousand 113 tonnes have been imported. At this time 1 lakh 8 thousand 295 tonnes of goods were exported. The products imported through Benapole port include industrial raw materials, readymade garments, chemicals, machinery parts, yarn and various food items.
Among the exported products are jute and jute products, fish, melamine, readymade garments and tissues.
At present, import and export trade of various commodities is going on with India by land and rail through Benapole port.
About 40,000 crore taka of goods are imported from India and 8,000 crore taka of goods are exported to India every year through this port.
The government earns about five thousand five hundred crore taka from imported goods. However, in the current fiscal year 2020-21, the target is six thousand 24 crore 72 lakh.
In the last six months, there is a revenue deficit of Tk 1,107.41 crore against the target.
The distance from Benapole port to Kolkata, the main commercial city of India, is only 80 km. As the communication system is easy, the traders are more interested to trade in this way from the very beginning.
However, despite the desire of traders to import more goods through this port, trade is not expanding due to various infrastructural problems of the port.
Faced with losses, many traders are leaving this port for other ports.This is affecting imports. However, exports are increasing through this port day by day.If the necessary infrastructure is developed, the traders think that besides imports, export trade will also increase.
Matiar Rahman, director of the Indo-Bangla Chamber of Commerce and industries said that about 80 percent of the country's land imports and exports go through the port of Benapole. Traders are losing interest in trade in this way only due to neglect of infrastructure development.
As the traders are suffering losses, the government is also losing the desired revenue.He opined that rapid infrastructure development is possible if the port is shifted from the shipping ministry to the finance ministry.
Importers and exporters of Benapole port said that traders have demanded the installation of CCTV cameras in the port for the security of imported goods.
However, to date it has not been implemented. As there is not enough space inside the port, the goods have to be kept under the open sky for the long time. There is a risk of theft as the quality of the product is deteriorating due to sun and rain. There is the crisis of cranes and forklifts.
Benapole C&F Agents Association President Mofizur Rahman Sajan said, Trade is not expanding in this way only due to infrastructural problems.Even today, India-Bangladesh-Nepal-Bhutan (BBIN) four-country trade activities have not been implemented.
Indian traders are also angry over the mismanagement of Benapole port. If the necessary infrastructure is developed, it is not difficult to collect revenue of ten thousand crore taka a year.
Benapole Land Port Deputy Director (Traffic) Abdul Jalil said some new sites have already been acquired for the expansion of Benapole Port. A new modern warehouses have been built. There has been a budget for CCTV cameras. In addition, the port has plans to build a high wall around the port and acquire more space for the safety of imported goods.
If these are implemented, there will be no more obstacles in the expansion of trade.
Benapole Custom House Commissioner. Azizur Rahman said, “We are in favor of increasing the legitimate benefits of traders. I have already written to the port authorities to increase the infrastructure facilities. If the capacity of the port increases, the import of goods through Benapole will increase. At the same time, the government's revenue collection willbe increase”.