Kolkata, 20 December(H.S.): Amid heightened tension and reports of violence in Bangladesh, customs clearing agents on Saturday held a meeting at the Petrapole land port to review the safety of Indian truck drivers stranded at Benapole. Following the meeting, the agents said Bangladeshi authorities have categorically assured that there is no threat to Indian truck drivers at the Benapole land port.

Kartik Chakraborty, general secretary of the Clearing and Forwarding Agents’ Staff Welfare Association at Petrapole, said representatives of customs clearing agents’ associations from both Petrapole and Bangladesh’s Benapole met Bangladeshi officials to discuss concerns related to driver safety.

He said that at any given time, around 70 to 100 Indian trucks remain stationed at Benapole. Due to delays in unloading export consignments, drivers usually have to stay there for three to four days. This has led to anxiety, especially among drivers from states outside West Bengal, in view of recent developments in the neighbouring country.

Chakraborty said that while there are concerns following reports of unrest in Bangladesh, the Benapole administration has assured that the situation will not affect the port area. According to him, Bangladeshi authorities clearly stated that there is no threat either to bilateral trade or to the safety of Indian truck drivers.

As a precautionary measure, drivers have been strictly advised not to step outside the Benapole land port premises. Chakraborty said many Hindi-speaking drivers usually visit nearby markets to buy groceries, as they cook their own meals and are largely vegetarian. In the current situation, they have been advised to avoid going out until normalcy is restored.

On the Indian side, security has also been tightened along the West Bengal border, with officials maintaining close vigil over the situation.

Trade operations at the Petrapole–Benapole land port have so far continued without disruption. The crossing is one of the busiest land routes between India and Bangladesh, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total land-based trade between the two countries. Annual trade through this route is estimated to exceed ₹30,000 crore.

It may be recalled that several parts of Bangladesh witnessed incidents of violence and vandalism on Thursday night. Reports included stone-pelting at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram, attacks on offices of leading newspapers, and vandalism at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum. These incidents followed confirmation by Interim Government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Subsequently, the interim government appealed to citizens to resist violence by disruptive elements.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh