Despite travel restrictions and locked borders, 3,350 Bangladeshis returned through Benapole land port since April 26. Seventeen of these India returnees have tested positive for Covid-19, said Benapole immigration officials. Utpal Roy, medical officer of Benapole immigration health department, said people returning from India are being sent to 14-day mandatory quarantine. Those who are already infected or getting infected later are being sent to the red zone of Jashore General Hospital’s Corona Unit, said the medical officer. Benapole port immigration sources said most of the returnees went to India for treatment and are returning with special permission from the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata. Some of the returnees said Bangladeshis would not have gone to India for treatment if our health service was developed enough. Officer-in-Charge of Benapole immigration check post Ahsan Habib said everyday Bangladeshis are returning from India with NOC and Indians stuck in Bangladesh are following the same procedure. Bangladesh’s border with India has remained shut since April 26 as the number of cases soared in the neighbouring country. But the movement of cargoes has remained unaffected. Bangladeshi citizens currently travelling to India for treatment and having visas with validity for less than 15 days are allowed to enter Bangladesh through only Benapole, Akhaura and Burimari land ports after taking permission from Bangladesh Missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala and with Covid-negative certificates.

Another batch of 105 Bangladeshis returned home from India through the Benapole checkpost on Friday morning. They are undergoing a 14-day quarantine at a Benapole hotel at their own expense. They returned with NOC from the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata. Meanwhile, 21 Indians have returned to their country from Bangladesh. Many patients and students went to India before Bangladesh announced a 14-day border closure with the neighbouring country. A Samad, a passenger from India, said the border closure should have been announced at least a day earlier. “It’d have saved us a lot of trouble at the border,” he said. Ahsan Habib, officer-in-charge Benapole Immigration, said people with special permits from the high commission are being allowed to cross the border. In the last four days, 810 Bangladeshis have returned home from India through Benapole, according to officials.

Fifteen among the 300 Bangladeshis who got stranded in India's Petrapole land port returned home  on Tuesday morning through Benapole checkpost.  They entered the country after receiving  NOC from the Deputy High Commission office of Bangladesh in Kolkata. They will be put on a14-day quarantine at a residential hotel in Benapole after completion of formalities.  Also read: Liquid oxygen import from India suspended at Benapole Ahsan Habib, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Benapole Immigration, said he have already received a letter to stop immigration for 14 days. The 15 Bangladeshis were allowed to return as they got special permission from Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, he said. It was reported on Monday that around 300 Bangladeshis were stranded in India's Petrapole land port following Bangladesh government's decision to  close the border with India due to a huge surge in Covid-19 cases in the neighbouring country. Most of the Bangladeshis stranded there were either  patients or students. They said the border closure should have been announced a few days earlier.  Also read: Bangladesh-India transboundary river dying due to graft in ... However, import and export activities  are normal at Benapole port.   Matiar Rahman, director of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce, said that disinfectants are not being sprayed on Indian trucks inside the port. The port authorities have not taken any  initiative to sanitize them.  Besides, Indian truck drivers are moving freely at Benapole market, putting local people at risk, he added. Abdul Jalil, acting director of Benapole Land Port, said there were no restrictions on trade activities  between the two countries and.  instructions have been given to keep all activities normal at the port in compliance with hygiene rules.