United News of Bangladesh

A deepening bottleneck at the Benapole-Petrapole trade gateway has stranded about 150 export-bound trucks loaded with betel nuts worth an estimated Tk 100 crore, exposing Bangladesh’s second-largest betel-nut industry to mounting financial risk as delays stretch into a second month. Exporters say the logjam is burning through roughly Tk 3 lakh a day in penalties and truck rental charges, with each vehicle costing around Tk 2,000 daily as it sits immobilised near the border. The slowdown, they said, originates on the Indian side at Petrapole, where officials are allegedly dragging out quality assessments and introducing what traders describe as artificial barriers.  The friction threatens a trade segment that has expanded sharply: Bangladesh’s share of India’s betel nut imports surged to 37% in FY2024–25 — nearly four times the levels of previous years — underscoring India’s growing reliance on higher-quality nuts from across the border. Read more: 13,528 tonnes of rice imported from India thru Benapole That dependence has not shielded exporters from escalating delays.  More than 150 trucks have remained stuck for weeks, creating a backlog and leaving drivers stranded in difficult conditions. Shah Alam, who has been waiting with his shipment for one month and 27 days, says traders suspect Indian counterparts are intentionally slowing intake to manage domestic market prices.  “We suspect Indian traders are deliberately delaying the intake of these trucks to control the betel nut market,” he said. Read more: Bangladesh’s shrimp sector eyes $5bn boost with better policies Ashraful, representing exporter Aulia Enterprise, said Petrapole officials continue to cite testing-related issues to justify the holdup. 

As many as 700 trucks carrying goods for the Indian market remain stranded on Bangladesh's side of the border at Benapole land port, due to lack of space apparently on the Indian side at Petrapole. When contacted, Joint General Secretary of Benapole Import-Export Association A. Latif said, “Everyday around 400 good-laden trucks enter Benapole to export products to the other side. But Petrapole authorities are only allowing upto 200 across, citing inadequate space.” “This has resulted in a long line of trucks in the Benapole port area  waiting to be allowed across to deliver the goods in India. The tailback is increasing with each passing day,” he added. Businessmen have pressed home their demand to the authorities in this regard to push their Indian counterparts to solve the problem as soon as possible stating that they are incurring great loss due to the status quo. Benapole Customs House Additional Commissioner Neyamul Islam confirmed to UNB that as of today, as many as 700 trucks remain stranded at what is the busiest land port between India and Bangladesh “We have contacted the Petrapole authorities. They assured us that the problem will be resolved within a week,” Neyamul added.

Indian businessmen suspended trading through Benaple-Petrapole port since Monday morning in protest against alleged harassment of Indian truckers by the country’s Border Security Force. Thousands of goods-laden truck remained stuck along India’s Petrapole area in a long traffic snarl. Deputy Director of Benapole port, Mamun Tarafdar said Indian traders complain of harassment of truck drivers by BSF members of Jayantipur camp.   Also read: BGMEA requests India to expedite trade through Bangaon-Benapole land port The traders have decided against exporting any goods through the port until the harassment ends, he said. Everyday around 400 to 500 trucks enter Benapole from India mostly carrying industrial raw materials, said the port official. Deputy Commissioner of Benapole Customs House Mostafizur Rahman said the trading will resume after problems on Indian side are solved.   Also read: 10 Bangladeshis who illegally entered India, return via Benapole

Around 5,000 trucks loaded with goods are waiting to cross into Bangladesh at India's Petrapole land port,  on the other side of the Benapole border. While they have been stranded, trade between the two countries has been greatly affected. It has already had a major impact on revenue collection (import duties).

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.