Export-Import resumes at India-Bangladesh border point at Benapole

The export-import activity resumed at the Benapole-Petrapole Integrated Check Post (ICP) on Saturday after remaining suspended since Feb 1 due to a strike by the truckers and workers union at the land port.

Trading resumed after the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) issued a notification allowing the trucker a month’s time during which the BSF will not check the driving licences and registration certificates of the vehicles entering the check post at Petrapole on the Indian side of the border. Most of the unions have called off the strike on Thursday and the trade has resumed from early morning Saturday after the holiday at Benapole on Friday.

The truckers and workers union have been demanding six months time for renewal of the licences and papers which have expired during the Covid period over the last two years. They have also been protesting against the requirement of a newly introduced ID card system at the ICP.

The checking at the ICP Petrapole by the BSF was tightened after it was found that few drivers of heavy vehicles are involved in transborder crime by carrying out smuggling of gold, silver, phensedyl and other drugs, fake currency and such items. Earlier,  82 fake driving licences were seized from truck drivers at the Petrapole Integrated Checkpost on January 18, after the BSF launched an intensive search at the ICP. Seizure of illegal items like gold was also reported during that period