Representatives of a number of trade bodies and exporters based in north Bengal have sought intervention of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to stop “syndicate raj” and improve infrastructure at two land customs stations (LCS) of the region located along the India-Bangladesh border.

They held talks with the administrative officials of Jalpaiguri and also with officials of Customs and other departments, mentioning that illegal syndicates mushroomed at Fulbari (the LCS located on the southern end of Siliguri, with Banglabandha on the other side) of Jalpaiguri district and Changrabandha (with Burimari of Bangladesh on the other side) in Cooch Behar district.

According to the exporters, these days, trucks carrying boulders are being allowed to cross the border by the syndicates on a priority basis while those laden with food grains, which are essential items and perishable, remain stranded on the boundary for days.

“The syndicates are so active that they control the entire movement of trucks at the border. Ideally, essential goods and perishable items should get priority but syndicate members always insisted that trucks carrying boulders be allowed earlier passage. At times, it is taking over 10 days for a truck loaded with food grains to enter Bangladesh. We suspect this is done because of some financial interest and that’s why we have sought the chief minister’s intervention,” said Surajit Paul, the secretary of the North Bengal Industries’ Association.

Sources said the syndicates run by local youths with political connections made money by collecting cash from trucks which cross the border.

“This practice has to be stopped. We have requested officials to see if we can meet the chief minister during her ensuing visit to north Bengal and request her to take necessary steps,” said a representative of the North Bengal Exporters’ Association.

North Bengal has seven international trade routes to Bangladesh, four of which are through land.

A senior exporter based in Siliguri said the syndicates gave priority to trucks carrying boulders because they made more money as “commission” than a truck loaded with food grains.

The trade bodies also want the state to augment ancillary infrastructure at the land custom stations in north Bengal, especially at Fulbari .

They have said every day, thousands of trucks are parked along the Asian Highway 2, which enters Bangladesh through Fulbari. There is a truck terminus nearby but is inadequate to accommodate so many vehicles, they said.

Moumita Godara Basu, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, who had a meeting with the trade bodies and exporters, said she would take up the issue with the authorities concerned. “We will speak with police, Customs and some other authorities on the issues mentioned by them. The state always wants to ensure that there is no hurdle to the bilateral trade,” she added.