India-Bangladesh trade through Bengal land ports remains stalled

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 governmentdeclared 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.