Benapole Land Port, the largest land port of Bangladesh used to export and import goods with India through the Benapole-Petrapole border, is in the news again and this time for alleged lax enforcement of COVID-19 safety rules, which has, reportedly, increased the risk of spread of a so-called more transmissible coronavirus variant from the neighbouring country.

According to media reports, authorities in Bangladesh have, reportedly, been strict about keeping the port closed for travellers from India and only Bangladeshi nationals with special permission can get through the port, but have to undergo 14-day institutional quarantine; however, rules for the transporters engaged in import and export activities are not properly enforced.

The reports claimed that many of the Indian transporters move freely around the port and some of them including the transport workers from Bangladesh do not follow the social distancing norms or use face masks properly.

It may be mentioned here that more than 1,500 trucks, reportedly, visit the port daily — from the Petrapole side in India, 350 to 450 trucks enter Benapole daily while around 300 goods-laden trucks go to India from Bangladesh — carrying goods to both the countries including raw materials for various industries in Bangladesh including the readymade garment sector there.