Staff Reporter :
Following the Indian government’s sudden cancellation of the transshipment facility, four trucks carrying Bangladeshi garments destined for Bhutan were denied entry at the Petrapole border on Tuesday.
India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on April 9 abruptly withdrew a 2020 order that had allowed Bangladeshi exporters to use Indian territory—via Kolkata Port, Nava Sheva Port, and the Kolkata Air Cargo Complex—to ship goods to third countries.
The facility had been crucial for Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) exports, particularly to Europe.
According to officials at Benapole Land Port, three Dhaka-based RMG exporters sent four trucks with garments bound for Bhutan using Indian transit. However, Petrapole Customs refused to issue car passes, forcing the trucks to return.
Padma Trading, the clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent handling the shipments, said the decision came without prior notice.
“The Indian government suddenly withdrew the transshipment facility. These trucks had already arrived at the port.
We and the exporters have suffered significant losses,” said Anik Ahmed, owner of the firm.
He added that just a day before the cancellation, 20 trucks had successfully used Indian transit to ship goods to Europe.
While stakeholders at the Benapole port note that exports to Nepal and Bhutan via India remain limited, the majority of goods passing through this transshipment route are destined for Europe—especially countries like Spain and Switzerland.
Meanwhile, Trade Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin assured reporters that the cancellation would not disrupt Bangladesh’s export momentum.
Speaking at the Secretariat on Thursday, he said, “This has been suddenly imposed on us, but InshaAllah, we are not facing any trouble because of this. We are taking all necessary steps to ensure our competitiveness and export connectivity remain intact.”
When asked whether Bangladesh would formally respond to India’s decision, the adviser said, “We are not considering that at the moment.”
He also mentioned that approximately 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of export goods had been shipped annually through Indian ports under the transshipment facility.
Despite the setback, Bangladesh remains confident in its internal measures to maintain trade flow. “The main concern is how to balance the trade deficit. We are working in that direction,” Bashir Uddin added.
On a positive note, the trade adviser welcomed the recent suspension of US tariffs on Bangladeshi goods. “Alhamdulillah, very good. This will bring stability to our trade,” he said.
Discussions with the Office of the United States Trade Representative are ongoing, and Bangladeshi officials are preparing long-term plans to meet the expectations linked to the tariff suspension.
