Trade between India and Bangladesh via the Petrapole land port in West Bengal resumed Thursday morning under stringent security measures, officials said.
Trade had halted on August 5 following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in Bangladesh, partially resuming on Wednesday at several land ports in West Bengal, except Petrapole.
Petrapole handles the highest volume of bilateral trade among all land ports with Bangladesh. "Trade began at Petrapole this morning following a meeting with stakeholders from both countries to resolve the impasse," an official, who wished to remain anonymous, reported.
Sajedur Rahman, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, said after Wednesday's meeting that trade was expected to resume Thursday morning. Benapole is on the Bangladesh side of the Petrapole border in West Bengal.
Trade, primarily of perishable goods, partially resumed at land ports such as Hili, Changrabandha, Mahadipur, Fulbari, and Gojadanga on Wednesday.
Following large-scale violent protests against the Hasina government, India heightened security along the border.
The Director General of the Border Security Force visited Petrapole on Tuesday to review the situation along the international boundary amid the crisis in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is India's largest trade partner in South Asia, and India is the second-largest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia.
India's exports to Bangladesh dipped to USD 11 billion in 2023-24 from USD 12.21 billion in 2022-23. Imports also declined to USD 1.84 billion in the last fiscal year from USD 2 billion in 2022-23.
India's primary exports to Bangladesh include vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, sugar, confectionery, refined petroleum oil, chemicals, cotton, iron and steel, and vehicles.
In contrast, Bangladesh's exports to India are concentrated in a few categories, with textiles and garments comprising 56 percent of their shipments.
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