Indo-Bangla trade through Bengal land ports remains stalled, passenger movement continues

So far, more than 4,500 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh as the neighbouring country continues to reel under violent clashes that have killed over 100 people.

Kolkata: Trade between India and Bangladesh via West Bengal's land ports has remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Monday due to ongoing violence in the neighbouring country, despite limited movement of passengers, officials said.

Goods trucks have not moved since Sunday, with the Bangladeshi side of Petrapole land port remaining non-functional due to a government-declared holiday, except for emergency services.

Petrapole, located in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, serves as South Asia's largest land port and plays a crucial role in facilitating trade between India and Bangladesh, with hundreds of trucks crossing daily under normal circumstances.

Meanwhile, services of the Maitree Express, connecting Kolkata with the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, will continue to remain suspended till Tuesday, Eastern Railway said, citing operational reasons.

Officials stated that train services have been suspended since Saturday.

Additionally, the bi-weekly Kolkata-Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express was also cancelled on Sunday.

"Trade is yet to resume. However, the movement of people, mainly students, continues across borders. So far, more than 700 students have arrived at Petrapole from Bangladesh," Kamlesh Saini, manager of the Land Port Authority of India (Petrapole) told PTI.

So far, more than 4,500 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh as the neighbouring country continues to reel under violent student protests that have killed over 100 people.

Saini said a help desk has been set up at Petrapole to assist arriving students with basic necessities such as snacks and water.

The BSF South Bengal Frontier has also set up special help desks at Integrated Check Posts (ICP) along the border to ensure the safe return of students amidst the unrest in Bangladesh.

Trade through other land ports in West Bengal, including Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur, also remains suspended as Bangladeshi Customs offices are closed.

Indian officials are in discussions with their counterparts to facilitate the return of trucks and drivers stranded on the Bangladeshi side after delivering goods, sources said.

The last trade movement took place on Saturday with 110 trucks entering India from Bangladesh and 48 trucks leaving for the neighboring country with exports.

Currently, approximately 800 trucks loaded with merchandise are stranded in parking lots awaiting clearance to cross the border.

BSF officials said they are in touch with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to coordinate the safe evacuation of students, even during nighttime operations.

"The BSF is in constant touch with BGB. This coordination has ensured the safe evacuation of students even during nighttime. To further enhance the efficiency of the process, the immigration desk at ICP Petrapole will now be open 24/7, ensuring uninterrupted and safe passage for all students returning home," BSF DIG A K Arya said.

Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes, with protesting students demanding that the Sheikh Hasina-led government scrap a controversial job quota system.

The protesters have been demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 against Pakistan.

More than 100 people have been killed in the clashes that broke out weeks ago, according to reports from Dhaka, though the exact number of deaths is not yet clear.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh scrapped most job quotas that caused the unrest in the country, scaling down government jobs for veterans' descendants to 5 per cent, ruling that 93 per cent be allocated on merit.