The bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh resumed at all land ports, except one at Petrapole, in Bengal on Wednesday, after a gap of around 48 hours.

Since Wednesday morning, trucks carrying goods started entering the neighbouring country via Changrabandha in Cooch Behar, Hili in South Dinajpur, Fulbari in Jalpaiguri, Mahadipur in Malda and Ghojadanga in North 24-Parganas.

Indian and Bhutanese trucks which had been left stranded in Bangladesh began the return trips also.

In Mahadipur, 75 trucks loaded with perishable goods crossed the border around 1.30pm.

Earlier in the day, officials of the Customs department, along with representatives of exporters, reached the
zero point and held a meeting with their counterparts from Bangladesh.

At the meeting, the Indian officials and the exporters said the security of Indian drivers, trucks and goods should
be ensured.

“We also said around 200 trucks were stuck at Sona Masjid (which is on the other side of Mahadipur) in Chapai-Nawabganj district of Bangladesh and should return to India,” said an exporter.

Through the Changrabandha lad port, 115 empty trucks returned to India. Also, 24 cargo trucks from Bangladesh entered India, while 19 trucks from India and Bhutan moved to the neighbouring nation.

In Ghojadanga, the second largest land port in Asia, trade continued on Wednesday, with 180 vehicles entering Bhomra land port in Bangladesh.

Joydev Sarkar, the secretary of Ghojadanga C&F Agent Employees Cargo Welfare Association, said a new committee of traders took over the activities at the Bhomra port after the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

“They are cooperating with us and assured security for our goods, trucks and drivers,” he said.

The export and import through the Petrapole land port in North 24-Parganas, however, remained suspended for the third day on Wednesday. Bengal’s largest land port is at Petrapole.

Sources said as no assurance of security had come from the Bangladesh authorities on Wednesday, the exporters refused to send their cargo.

However, the stalemate is likely to be over after talks between the stakeholders of the two countries later in the afternoon.

“We are hopeful that trade activities through the Petrapole and the Benapole land ports will resume on Thursday,” said an official of the Land Ports Authority of India.

Around 720 trucks that entered Bangladesh are stranded at the Benapole port currently.

“We are worried about the stranded vehicles. The Bangladeshi authorities have assured us that vehicles will start unloading soon,” said Kartick Chakraborty, secretary of the Petrapole Clearing Agents Staff Welfare Association.