Clicky
National, Back Page

Govt to construct cargo vehicle terminal at Benapole


Published : 31 Aug 2019 08:29 PM | Updated : 04 Sep 2020 11:34 PM

The government is going to construct a cargo vehicle terminal at Benapole land port in Jashore to boost bilateral trades with neighbouring India. The construction of the project will start soon, said officials. In this regard, the shipping ministry has taken a project styled ‘Construction of Cargo Vehicle Terminal at Benapole Land Port’ with an estimated cost of about Tk290 crore to remove the traffic congestion at the port area, a senior official of planning commission said.

After construction, the cargo vehicle terminal port will able to accommodate some 1250 vehicles at a time. The amount of total export and import through this port stands at about Tk 20,000 crore every year and the government earns nearly Tk 4,000cr tax revenues from the port. The project fund will come from the government exchequer. Bangladesh Land Port Authority will implement the project by June 2021. Once the project is implemented, import and export through the country’s main land port with India will be much easier. It will also help to park goods laden trucks at the port area. It will also help to develop socio-economic development in the country.

Benapole is the country’s most important and largest land port for doing trades with India through which 80 percent of the land port-based trade takes place.
Bangladesh has 4,095km border with India while it shares 256km border with Myanmar and 580km border is created by Bay of Bengal. Indian trucks are supposed to be parked at a terminal but most of them are usually parked on road sides, creating severe gridlock at the port areas as well as hampering port activities.

Lack of infrastructure, especially a cargo vehicle terminal with approach road, has become essential for a better operation at this important port. Under the proposed scheme, 29.10 acres of land will be acquired and 2,45697 cubic metres of land will be developed alongside constructing 1,47,000 square metre parking yard, 2,100 metre fencing, 6,000 square metre internal roads.

Moreover, 1,747 square metre building, three toilet complexes, two main gates, two gate houses and security system, four watch towers and 1,650 square metre drain will be constructed and others. The project has been approved in the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) recently.