Trade between India and Bangladesh resumed on Wednesday following a two-day halt caused by unrest in Bangladesh.
The suspension had affected major land ports in West Bengal, including Petrapole, Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur.
Operations resumed after the Bangladeshi Customs restarted work and internet services were restored.
Kamlesh Saini, manager of the Land Port Authority of India (Petrapole), confirmed that “trade has resumed from the Petrapole border since this morning after the Benapole side reopened to receive cargo.”
Petrapole, situated in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, is South Asia’s largest land port, essential for the flow of goods between the two nations.
Sajedur Rahman, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, reported that 220 trucks had crossed into Bangladesh from Petrapole, while 27 trucks entered Bangladesh today.
The resumption came after Bangladesh customs resumed operations and internet connectivity was restored.
Despite the initial slow pace due to congestion, trade is expected to normalise over the coming days, as there is a significant backlog.
The disruption began after Bangladesh customs took a two-day nationwide holiday in response to student protests and general unrest over job quota issues.
Prior to the shutdown, the Petrapole land port handled between 400 and 450 trucks of goods entering India daily, while 150 to 200 trucks crossed from Bangladesh.
By Monday, 800 trucks were stranded due to the interruption.
Officials have prioritised the clearance of perishable cargo due to increased prices of essential commodities resulting from the shutdown.
Passenger traffic continues, with a notable number of students crossing from Bangladesh.
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