Bangladeshi exporters stop Indian imports from Petrapole border

Export of Indian goods to Bangladesh through the Petrapole border in West Bengal was disrupted on Wednesday due to agitation by a section of exporters of the neighbouring country, an official of Federation of Indian Exporter Organisations (FIEO) said.

India has allowed export of goods from Petrapole, the largest land border port with Bangladesh on June 7 but has not allowed import of goods from Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh has stopped import since this morning on ground that their exports are not accepted by India even though have taken our export cargo. There is a stalemate at the border”, FIEO chairman (east) Sushil Patwari said

The Bangladeshi exporters are annoyed as India has not allowed import of goods from Bangladesh through Petrapole, an official of Benapole Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents Staff association said.

“The Bangladeshi exporters are annoyed with the stand of India at Petrapole. Despite imports by Bangladesh have been allowed since June 7, India has not yet permitted Bangladeshi goods to enter India in the wake of coronavirus. They are agitating and stopped imports at the border,” Benapole C&F Agents Staff Association secretary Sajidur Rehman told PTI over phone.

“Those who import from India also do exports. They said export cargo is lying at the Benapole border causing huge losses. Some 500-700 trucks with several export cargo like jute, chemicals, saree and thread among others are waiting to offload cargo in India,” he said.