The Benapole Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association (BCCFAA) seeks government steps for the infrastructural development of Benapole port with an eye to modernising the largest domestic land port.
To this end, it has recently written to commerce ministry in order to increase the export-import volume and the consequential rise in revenue from the port.
It also suggests setting up offices of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, and the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research there.
BCCFAA leaders, including port traders, also want to participate in the conference that is held in India, according to a letter sent to the ministry.
The association has sought measures for the upgradation of Benapole highway to six lanes, it says.
Benapole port's contribution to domestic trade is very significant. A lion's share of import-export shipments is done through this port, the BCCFAA claims.
Shipments worth approximately Tk 300 billion are made through Benapole and Tk 60 billion in tax revenue is also collected from this key facility, it mentions.
The port is already connected to the Asian Highway, including transit corridor for four countries.
Available BCCFAA documents show 8,000-10,000 passengers with valid passports travel between Bangladesh and India through Benapole land port.
An estimated 0.25-million tonnes of goods are handled with the port. But the current capacity of its sheds is only 40,000 tonnes, read the papers.
The port, sited in the Benapole town of Sharsha sub-district in Jashore, is used to transport merchandise to and from India through Benapole-Petrapole border.
This port is operated by the Bangladesh Land Port Authority. About 90 per cent of the imported Indian goods enter Bangladesh through this port.
"We've received a letter from the BCCFAA and are now working on the issues mentioned in it," an official tells the FE.
