Export-import
Trade via Sonamasjid land port resumes
After eight days of suspension owing to Durga puja, trade resumed via the Sonamasjid land port of Chapainawabganj on Saturday.
Abdur Rashid, general secretary of Sonamasjid Land Port C&F Agents’ Association, said that trade via the port was suspended from September 30 to October 7 following Durga Puja vacation and weekly government holidays.
“Export and import of goods via the port has restarted. Vehicles coming from India with goods have started entering the port since this morning,” said Rashid.
Read: Trade via Sonamasjid land port to remain suspended for 8 days
Vishwakarma puja in India: Trade at Benapole port halted
Trade between Bangladesh and India via the Benapole land port remained suspended on Saturday, with the neighbouring country celebrating Vishwakarma puja.
However, movement of people via the land port remained as usual, officials said.
Kartik Chakrabarty, general secretary of the Petrapole C&F Agent Staff Welfare Association, said that trade between Bangladesh and India through Benapole-Petrapole land ports will resume on Sunday morning.
Read: Trade through Benapole land port suspended for Janmasthami
Abdul Jalil, deputy director (traffic) at the Benapole port, said that though transportation of goods between the two countries was suspended, loading and unloading of goods inside the port remained normal.
“We’ve kept our cargo department and checkposts open so that Indian trucks carrying Bangladeshi goods can return," said Abdur Rashid Mia, joint commissioner of Benapole Customs House.
Bhomra land port resumes operation after Eid holidays
Trade through Bhomra land port in Satkhira resumed on Wednesday after five day of Eid holidays.
Import and export between India and Bangladesh remained suspended from July 8-12 through Bhomra land port on the occasion of Eid. But movement of people through the border was open.
Read: Trade through Bhomra port resumes as lockdown lifted
Bhomra land port Customs Clearing & Forwarding (C & F) Agents Association general secretary SM Maksud Khan said the decision to suspend import and export between the two neighbouring countries was made after consultation with India's Guzadanga C & F Agents Cargo Association.
Bhomra land port assistant customs commissioner Amir Mamun said around 300-350 goods laden trucks entered the port through India's Guzadanga land port.
The government earns more than Tk 2 crore daily from this land port, said the customs official.
Growing export-import creating demands for more containers: BGMEA
Bangladesh garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has said the volume of Bangladesh’s export-import is increasing, creating demand for more containers to make timely shipment of goods.
As a deep sea port is yet to get ready in Bangladesh, he said, traders have to depend on the sea ports of Colombo and Singapore for international shipment.
In such circumstances, the BGMEA chief said, Indian sea ports could be a feasible alternative for Bangladesh to handle increasing volume of exports and imports.
Also read: BGMEA urges Aldi to source more high-end apparel from Bangladesh
The issues came up when Yousuf Shahriar, President and Country Head of Adani Group Bangladesh, met the BGMEA President at BGMEA’s Gulshan office on Wednesday, BGMEA said in a media release on Thursday.
BGMEA Vice President Miran Ali, Director Abdullah Hil Rakib, Capt Mohit Chaturvedi, Head – India Container Sales Business Development, Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd were also present on the occasion.
Also read: BGMEA claiming 100 percent salaries, bonuses paid to RMG workforce
They had discussions on various trade issues, especially the current global shipping situation and its outlook, scope of using Indian sea ports for international shipment of Bangladeshi export-import cargoes.
Faruque Hassan requested the Adani Group to extend necessary shipping and other logistic services to Bangladeshi trades so that they can export and import cargoes through using Indian ports.
Export-Import through Benapole land port suspended
Export-import activities between Bangladesh and India through Benapole land port remained suspended since Monday morning due to an indefinite strike called by Petrapole port workers of India.
Karthik Chandra Chakraborty, general secretary of Indian Petrapole C&F Agent Staff Welfare Association, said the strike was called protesting various harassment by theb LP manager at Petrapole port.
"We are already in business trouble due to Covid-19 outbreak. In addition, the new LP manager is harassing traders by enforcing new rules at entry points,"he added.
Read: Gas supply suspended in B’Baria as pipeline gets damaged
He also said that no transport staff is allowed to enter ICP and port without a unique card.
However, the loading and unloading process at our port is going on at a normal pace, said Mamun Tarafdar, deputy director of Benapole port.
Govt urged to expedite dev projects at Ctg port to facilitate export-import
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the government to expedite development projects at Chattogram port to facilitate export-import.
A BGMEA delegation led by its President Faruque Hassan met with State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury at the secretariat Tuesday.
Former BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman, incumbent first vice-president Syed Nazrul Islam and senior vice-president SM Mannan (Kochi) were present.
The BGMEA leaders thanked the government for taking all the steps that have led to the smooth functioning of the Chattagram port.
They requested the government to expedite the implementation of the projects taken to enhance capacity and improve the port facilities.
Faruque Hassan said the economy of Bangladesh is expanding; so imports and exports of the country are also growing.
He emphasised continuing efforts for enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the Chattogram port to meet the increased demand for exports and imports through the port.
Faruque also called for the government's steps to further improve services and facilities in the land ports of the country to accelerate export and imports.
Ships docking at Ctg Port declined by 2pc due to Covid in 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent suspension of export and import for several months caused a 2 percent drop in the number of ships docking at Chattogram Port in 2020 compared to the previous calendar of 2019.
Export-import through Benapole resumes after 3 days
Export and import activities through Benapole land port resumed on Sunday, after a three-day disruption in the wake of a strike enforced by Bangladeshi traders.
Export-import through Benapole remains suspended
Export and import activities between Bangladesh and India through the Benapole land port remained suspended since Tuesday morning as Border Security Force (BSF) did not allow C&F agents to enter India.
Export-import through Hili land port suspended
Export-import activities through the Hili land port were suspended on Sunday on the occasion of India’s 71st Republic Day.