Indo-Bangla trade through Bengal land ports remains stalled, passenger movement continues
Kolkata (PTI): Trade between India and Bangladesh via West Bengal’s land ports remained suspended for the second consecutive day on Monday due to ongoing violence in the neighbouring country, although there was limited movement of passengers, officials said.
Goods trucks have not moved since Sunday with the Bangladeshi side of the Petrapole land port remaining non-functional due to a government-declared holiday, except for emergency services.
Petrapole, located in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, serves as South Asia's largest land port and plays a crucial role in facilitating trade between India and Bangladesh, with hundreds of trucks crossing daily under normal circumstances.
While trade remains stalled, passenger movement continued in low numbers.
"Trade is yet to resume. However, movement of people, mainly students, continues across borders. So far, more than 700 students have arrived at Petrapole from Bangladesh," said Kamlesh Saini, manager of the Land Port Authority of India (Petrapole) told PTI.
So far, more than 4,500 Indian students have returned home from Bangladesh as the neighbouring country continues to reel under violent clashes that have killed over 100 people.
Saini said a help desk has been set up at Petrapole to assist arriving students with basic necessities such as snacks and water.
The BSF South Bengal Frontier has also set up special help desks at Integrated Check Posts (ICP) along the border to ensure the safe return of students amidst the unrest in Bangladesh.
Trade through other land ports in West Bengal, including Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur, also remains suspended as Bangladeshi Customs offices are closed.
Indian officials are in discussions with their counterparts to facilitate the return of trucks and drivers stranded on the Bangladeshi side after delivering goods, sources said.
The last trade movement took place on Saturday with 110 trucks entering India from Bangladesh and 48 trucks leaving for the neighbouring country with exports. Currently, approximately 800 trucks loaded with merchandise are stranded in parking lots awaiting clearance to cross the border.
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Private bus operators in Karnataka to hike fares by 20-30 pc after fuel price rise
Bengaluru (PTI): In the wake of the hike in fuel prices, private bus operators have decided to increase fares by 20-30 per cent, depending on the route, effective from Friday midnight.
They have also called for government subsidies, a reduction in cess, and lower road taxes to improve the situation.
"The situation for bus owners in the state is already distressing due to high road tax and the impact of the Shakti scheme (free bus travel for women in government buses). On top of this, fuel prices have increased," Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Association President S Nataraj Sharma said.
"This will impose a burden of Rs 15,000 per vehicle per month on bus owners. If an owner has three buses, the burden will be Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000 per month," he added.
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Speaking to reporters, he said the situation has made it inevitable for owners to increase fares by 20-30 per cent, depending on the route, under current conditions.
The increase may be roughly Rs 200 per seat, he added.
"For example, the current bus fare from Bengaluru to Belagavi is around Rs 1,000–Rs 1,200, which is likely to rise to Rs 1,350–Rs 1,400. Similarly, fares from Bengaluru to Mangaluru or Udupi currently range from Rs 900–Rs 1,000 and are expected to go up to Rs 1,100–Rs 1,200," he said.
Petrol and diesel prices were each hiked by Rs 3 per litre on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses for fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
The increase comes a couple of weeks after the Assembly elections concluded in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.
