Border ports pant under problems

Land ports on the country's borders are found sinking in problems, especially for poor infrastructure, absence of banking facility, corrupt practices by members of various agencies and lack of coordination, according to a latest report.
It says people using the border ports to visit neighbouring countries, and businessmen are frequently harassed by immigration police, customs officials and their aides. Port-users are forced to pay extras.
Sources said the report was prepared by an intelligence agency on security and overall situation of land ports. It was submitted recently to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) which the PMO passed on to the ministries of home and shipping, and the national board of revenue for necessary action.
Chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA) Tapan Kumar Chakravorty, however, said efforts were on to improve services and reduce user sufferings in the port areas.
The report said nearly 5,000 people use country's largest land-port Benapole to visit India everyday. Besides, maximum of the country's land port-based export-import activities are done through the port. But "massive irregularities, corruption, and infrastructural weaknesses" are seriously affecting port-handling activities.
It mentioned that the government had constructed a structure of an international passenger and bus terminal spending Tk 210 million years back at Benapole port. But the terminal is yet to be opened for passengers since various facilities, including dormitory, hotel-restaurant, ticket counter, lavatory and security arrangements, are yet to be built.
Moreover, the BLPA is "illegally" using second floor of the passenger terminal as its office.
The intelligence agency found 42 sheds for keeping imported goods, which is very much inadequate compared to the volume of imports done through the Benapole port. Some of the sheds are totally unfit for use thus a big portion of the imports are kept in the open, and those often get damaged.
Though members of ansar, police, and private security companies are deployed for security of imported goods, they are allegedly found involved with syndicates of thieves who steal goods from the sheds.
"Immigration police," the report says, "harass passengers with connivance of some aides. They force each passenger to pay them at least Tk 200 each for putting seal in their passport and later also harass them in the name of checking their baggage."
The aides to immigration police allegedly force passengers to pay money as they import gift items from neighbouring India for their nearest and dearest ones.
The report named some members of the immigration police and Benapole port police- station police, and their aides who are involved in illegal activities in the port area.
It also mentioned illegal activities and the harassing of people by members of clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents' association, quarantine-centre officials, loaders, and lack of monitoring by customs department.
About Bhomra land port, the report said members of some C&F agents association in collaboration with some dishonest members of customs department pay less duty to the public exchequer through mis-declaration of imported goods. Most of the members of various government departments working in the port are also involved in the under-invoicing of goods and many other irregularities, it noted.
Furnishing details on problems and irregularities allegedly rampant in Hili land port, Sona Masjid land port, Burimari land port, Akhaura land port, Teknaf land port, and Bibirbazar land port, the agency in its report requested the government to take proper steps for their solutions as those are hindering revenue earnings.
Talking to the FE Friday over phone the BLPA chairman, Tapan Kumar Chakravorty, said several government departments are engaged in carrying out various activities at the ports. The high-ups of the departments concerned are responsible for steps if any specific allegations are found against any members of their offices.
He said presently out of 10 land ports in operation five are being operated by the BLPA and as many by private-sector people.
Mr Chakravorty said various steps are taken for infrastructure development of the land ports and provide good services to the users.
He said the newly built international terminal in Benapole will be opened for use within this month, which will reduce the agony of passengers.
About allegation of pilferage of goods from sheds he said the BLPA is responsible for providing storage facility while police and ansar forces are responsible for ensuring their security.
"We are trying to provide better services to the users of land ports," he said.
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