Imported heavy goods lie in the open at the Benapole land port in Jashore, where a shortage of the necessary equipment is disrupting import trade. Traders face long delays and hardship in unloading goods, while the setting up of industrial plants and development work is also stalling. Port sources said about 30 percent of the goods imported from India through Benapole are heavy goods, needing at least 12 cranes and 20 forklifts to unload quickly and safely. But the contractor currently in charge, “Grade Bengal Enterprise,” has only 7 cranes and 8 forklifts, of which mechanical faults leave nearly half out of action about half the time, so traders must wait day after day to unload urgent goods.
Benapole import-export association vice-president Aminul Haque said commercial bodies had lodged written complaints several times but the port authorities had taken no effective steps, so many importers were shifting to other ports to avoid losses, badly hitting Benapole port’s revenue. India-Bangla Land Port Chamber of Commerce director Motiar Rahman voiced the same frustration, saying: “In the port’s current situation, traders are facing severe losses.” Benapole C&F Agent Association port-affairs secretary Md Meherullah said: “With cranes out of action, goods delivery is disrupted. Normal operations cannot be run with half the equipment needed, so import work has slowed.”
Traders allege the problem has persisted for over a decade with no visible steps by the authorities. But Benapole port handling workers’ union general secretary Shahid Ali said a letter had already been sent to the port authorities to replace the inefficient contractor. Benapole land port deputy director Ruhul Amin said: “The process of appointing a new contractor to solve the problem is under way, and the crisis will be resolved quickly by appointing a new contractor.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report