Bangladesh unrest halts cross-border trade; security measures stepped up in eastern states

NEW DELHI: Eastern Indian states, including West Bengal and Tripura, stepped up security measures on Tuesday and Bihar police issued an alert for some parts of the state in the wake of unrest in Bangladesh.

Cross-border trade also remained stalled through the Petrapole land port in West Bengal with reports suggesting that hundreds of Indian trucks were stuck on the Bangladesh side.

Bangladesh plunged into chaos after extraordinary street protests over job quota forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to quit and flee the country on Monday.

Security has been tightened along the 4,096 km India-Bangladesh border, with BSF Director General (acting) Daljit Singh Chawdhary visiting the Petrapole border, located in Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district.

He reviewed tactical and operational preparedness at the border.

Singh also reviewed the current situation and discussed strategies to combat illegal infiltration and smuggling.

The BSF officials in Nadia district met with state government officials and villagers in West Bengal's border areas.

In a statement on Tuesday, the BSF said it has advised villagers in border areas to avoid movement on the International Border Road (IBBR) during night hours and to close shops by 9 pm.

The border guards also reviewed the security situation in Assam.

West Bengal shares a total of 2,217 kilometres of its border with Bangladesh, along with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Assam (262 km), and Mizoram (318 km).

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said he is in touch with New Delhi and has requested security agencies to intensify vigilance along the international border, while the Bihar police issued an alert in several parts of Bihar.

The Tripura chief minister said, "We are closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. I've been in touch with Delhi continuously. I met with the Chief Secretary, DGP, Assam Rifles, and BSF, and instructed them to intensify vigilance along the border. We will take steps based on instructions from Delhi."

While talking to reporters, Saha emphasized the importance of coordination among security forces and directed them to prevent any crossings from Bangladesh into Tripura.

When asked about specific instructions from Delhi, Saha mentioned that while Delhi is seeking updates on potential issues arising from the political upheaval, no detailed directives have been issued so far.

Regarding attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, Saha noted that his government is keeping track of developments in the neighbouring country.

"Social media reports indicate that the majority community in Bangladesh is taking steps to protect minority groups. For example, some students have been seen guarding temples. It's a positive sign," he remarked.

Meanwhile, trade between India and Bangladesh, which had already been disrupted due to the ongoing unrest, remained stalled as of Tuesday.

Ujjal Saha, secretary of the West Bengal Exporters Coordination Committee, stated that the non-clearance of goods by Bangladesh customs has resulted in hundreds of trucks being lined up in parking lots at various land ports.

These include Petrapole, Gojadanga, Mahadipur, and Fulbari in West Bengal.

"Trade through Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, the largest land port, remains halted as Benapole customs in Bangladesh are non-functional," Saha noted.

Additionally, a three-day holiday declared by the Bangladesh government has further delayed any resumption of trade activities.

Ajay Srivastava, the founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), emphasised the need to protect factories in Bangladesh and maintain supply lines to sustain trade and economic activities.

"It is essential for all political factions in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of garment and other factories and to keep supply lines open across the border, he said.

The political developments in Bangladesh have raised concerns among Indian exporters.

Arun Kumar Garodia, chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council, highlighted the significant impact on Indian exports to Bangladesh, a key destination for Indian engineering products.

The turmoil in Bangladesh has led to the suspension of cross-border transportation services.

The Eastern Railway announced that the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express, which has been non-operational since July 19, will remain suspended until further notice.

Similarly, the bi-weekly Kolkata-Khulna-Kolkata Bandhan Express, suspended since July 21, has not resumed operations.

A Dhaka-bound bus carrying 45 Bangladeshi passengers had to deboard at the Petrapole border as the services were suspended.

Abani Ghosh, owner of Shyamali Paribahan which operates bus services from the Indian side in collaboration with the West Bengal Transport Corporation, expressed hope for early resumption of services, citing anxious queries from Bangladeshi passengers in Kolkata.

When contacted, a Bangladesh Deputy High Commission official said, We don't have any update about resumption of services as of now.

The Kolkata police have beefed up security outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission to avoid any untoward incidents.