Benapole Port transit is hindered by rising fuel prices

Due to the increased transportation costs brought on by the recent increase in fuel oil prices, movement of commodities via the nation's main land port, Benapole, has been severely hindered.

Businesspeople at the port claimed that after the increase in fuel prices, transport companies excessively increased the truck fare. Because there are currently no trucks available, they are unable to transfer goods throughout the country, which has caused turmoil in the port's transportation system.

Importers, transport agents and C & F agents are finding it difficult to send goods to various places in the country imported from India.

Meanwhile, passengers of Benapole who returned home from India have to count additional money as all long route buses have increased the fare from Tk 200 to Tk 700 in different categories.

Importers said they used to pay Tk 15,000 to 21,000 a trip of a goods-laden truck from Benapole to Dhaka. But now, owners of the trucks are charging Tk 25,000 to 28,000 which is too much abnormal compared to the recent price hike of fuel.

Importers cannot release goods from the port due to a lack of trucks despite paying duty to the port customs, they lamented.

On the other hand, some importers of Dhaka said they can’t bring the imported goods to factories because of additional truck fares.

Anwar Ali Anu, an importer of Jashore, said he brought goods from Benapole to Jashore by truck at Tk 5,000 maximum in the last month. But now truck owners are charging Tk 11,000 for the same amount of goods.

“This additional truck fare will trigger us to the losses,” he added.

Benapole Transport Agency Owners’ Association General Secretary Azim Uddin said importers will have to pay Tk 10,000 additional fare per truck as fuel cost has increased the pressure on the transport sector.

Echoing the same, Atikuzzaman Sony, president of the organisation said businessmen don’t get a truck or covered van despite offering additional fares increasing suffering for the importers.

Benapole Port Importers-Exporters Association president Mohsin Milon said many businesses are giving additional fares for some goods which might be rotted.