Export resumes after 75 days, 83 trucks in B’desh

Malda: Export to Bangladesh finally resumed on Thursday, after a gap of 75 days, with as many as 83 sanitised trucks loaded with goods crossing the border at Mahadipur. The fleet went up to 200 metre from zero point at Panama land port, where the trucks will be unloaded before they return to India.
A meeting between the district administration and exporters on Wednesday had decided that only 50 drivers would be engaged in taking the trucks across the border for the first 15 days.This group will be put up at a separate place for a fortnight or so. A second batch of 50 drivers will operate after 15 days. As the trucks cannot be taken beyond 200 metre from Panama port, stone chips will not be exported at present.
Before the lockdown was imposed, no less than 300 trucks from this part of India crossed the Bangladesh border every day. The prolonged curbs have resulted in losses to the tune of Rs 600 crore, exporters claimed.
Pressure has been building from various quarters to resume export and relieve the long queue of trucks. In fact, the customs and Union ministry of commerce had wanted cross-border business to resume much earlier, but the state government was reportedly against it.
Wednesday’s meeting finally allowed exporters to heave a sigh of relief. On Day One, cattle and poultry feed, fruits, ginger and onions were primarily exported. Mahadipur Clearing and Forwarding Agents’ leader Bhupatoi Mandal said: “There was a stalemate regarding the resumption of exports. (We are) Happy that it (export) has started. All safety norms are being followed.”
Resumption of export has though triggered panic amo-ng people in border areas. Bangladesh recently saw an outbreak of Covid-19. Rajsahi division, which is just on the other side of the border, is one of the worst affected areas. It is feared that the truck drivers returning to India may cause a spurt in cases here.