Import thru\\\' Benapole declines

There has been a marked decline in import through Benapole Land Port in the last fiscal year (FY). Stakeholders offer many reasons for this happening – volatile political situation before the Jan 5 national elections in Bangladesh, a slowdown in business, bumper harvest last year, regular theft of goods, harassment by Customs officials, high bank interest rates for the slump. In FY 2013-2014, the import dropped by over 200,000 metric tonnes (MT). Customs officials primarily blame political instability before the Jan 5 polls for the drop. But traders say they are avoiding imports as business is not yet buoyant despite a stable political situation. Jessore Chamber of Commerce (JCC) chief Mizanur Rahman Khan believes high bank interest rate is also playing a role in the decline of imports. However, JCC director Humayun Kabir believes otherwise. ‘A bumper harvest this year meant there was no need to import agricultural products. This is the reason for the drop in imports,’ he said. Mohasin Milon, joint secretary of a Benapole-based import-export organisation said: ‘Traders want swift handling as they have to pay extra duty in case of delay.’ Benapole Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agent (C&F) association’s leader Nuruzzaman sees the Customs department’s ‘harassment’ as the main cause. ‘Recurrent strikes, blockades, workers’ agitation are threatening the port,’ he said. ‘We, the C&F traders, are suffering huge losses and expect a sympathetic Customs,’ he added. However, Benapole Customs Joint Commissioner Faizur Rahman refuted the allegations and blamed the drop in imports on political instability from Oct 2013 to Jan 2014, according to bdnews24.com.