According to sources from the Immigration Department, an average of two thousand people are now traveling through the Petrapole-Benapole border with passports and visas every day.
Concerned sources claim that the movement of people with passports and visas between India and Bangladesh through the Petrapole-Benapole border has decreased significantly in the last few months.
This has affected the border-centric economy of Petrapol. The currency exchange center, private bus services, vehicles, shops, and hotels at Petrapol port are suffering from the lack of passengers.According to sources from the Immigration Department, an average of two thousand people are now traveling through the Petrapole-Benapole border with passports and visas every day.
According to sources from the Immigration Department, an average of two thousand people are now traveling through the Petrapole-Benapole border with passports and visas every day.
According to immigration department sources, before the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh on August 5 last year, an average of 6,500 people used to travel through this border daily.
The livelihood of thousands of people in Bangaon subdivision depends on the Petrapole port. Private buses operate between Petrapole and Kolkata.
According to the Petrapole Checkpost Welfare Association, 37 buses carrying Bangladeshi passengers travel between Petrapole and Kolkata.
Deepak Ghosh, an official of the organization, said, “Bus services are practically on the verge of being shut down due to lack of passengers. Each of the nine transport companies here has an average of 50 employees. Due to lack of income, employees are being laid off.”
Buses are lined up one after another. There are no passengers in sight. Apples, oranges, grapes, currants, bananas, and limes are arranged in fruit shops—there is no rush of buyers. The stands for autos and small cars are empty.
Many ‘hand coolies’ were seen sleeping on bamboo mats. Some were playing cards. Hotels and food shops were bustling. Currency exchange offices were practically deserted.Many Bangladeshis take autos from the Petrapole border to Bongaon station and then take trains to their destinations. Hundreds of autos travel from Petrapole to Bongaon station.
Many Bangladeshis take autos from the Petrapole border to Bongaon station and then take trains to their destinations. Hundreds of autos travel from Petrapole to Bongaon station.Many people said that the income of auto drivers has decreased due to the lack of passengers. The same is true for drivers of small vehicles.
There are many fruit shops, cosmetics shops, jewelry shops, tea shops, food shops, and hotels in Petrapole Port. Bangladeshis shop here. There is a shortage of customers in the shops now. A fruit vendor said, “There are practically no customers.”
There are many ‘hand coolies’ to carry the bags and luggage of the passengers. Their livelihoods have also been hit. One person said, “Since August 6, many have left work due to the lack of passengers and started working on farmland. If this continues, it will be very problematic.”Kartik Ghosh, the owner of a center, said, “The situation improved slightly after August 6. There is a shortage of passengers again.”
Kartik Ghosh, the owner of a center, said, “The situation improved slightly after August 6. There is a shortage of passengers again.”Many believe that this is happening because of the social and political instability in Bangladesh. However, thousands of people who depend on the port-based economy want the relations between the two countries to improve quickly and the business situation to normalize.
Many believe that this is happening because of the social and political instability in Bangladesh. However, thousands of people who depend on the port-based economy want the relations between the two countries to improve quickly and the business situation to normalize.
