Bangladesh Customs has abruptly decided to suspend all import and export activities at the Benapole land port after 6 pm each day, triggering long queues of stranded cargo trucks along the Bangladesh-India border and sparking outrage among traders.

Officials at the Benapole Customs House said the decision was made during a meeting with the Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents Association to curb the flow of smuggled and undocumented goods. However, association leaders denied any formal agreement, saying the issue was only discussed, not finalized.

The abrupt restriction contradicts an earlier joint decision by Bangladesh and India to operate the Benapole-Petrapole Integrated Check Post (ICP) 24 hours a day, introduced on August 1, 2017. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) also instructed all customs houses nationwide to remain open round the clock in 2024 — a directive still unimplemented in Benapole.

Before the change, port operations continued until midnight, with an average of 400 to 450 trucks entering daily. Since the new cutoff was imposed, that number has fallen to about 180 to 200, according to port officials. The restriction has slowed trade worth roughly BDT 2 billion a day through Bangladesh’s busiest land port.

Importers and exporters say the sudden cutoff has stranded goods worth an estimated BDT 1–1.5 billion each day, costing businesses heavily and depriving the government of several million taka in daily revenue.

“Shutting down port operations after 6 pm without prior notice has left traders shocked,” said Anarul Islam, a C&F agent at Benapole. “Hundreds of trucks are stuck on both sides of the border, causing huge losses. If this continues, traders may shift to alternative ports like Bhomra, Hili, or Sonamasjid, which would reduce government revenue.”

Indian traders are also affected. “The decision has created a trust deficit between businesses in both countries,” said Kartik Chakraborty, general secretary of the Petrapole Clearing Agents Staff Welfare Association. “More than a thousand trucks now remain stuck at Petrapole every day.”

Leaders from local trade bodies criticized the move as unilateral and poorly coordinated. “Such a major decision should have been made in consultation with stakeholders,” said Matiur Rahman, president of the Benapole Import-Export Association. “Now traders, workers, and even the government are suffering losses.”

Benapole Port Director Shamim Hossain acknowledged the disruption. “We only operate the port. Without customs clearance, no goods can be released,” he said. “This sudden decision is hurting both revenue and trade.”

Officials from the Jashore Chamber of Commerce echoed those concerns, saying the decision undermines business confidence. Calls to Customs Commissioner Khalid Md Abu Hossain and Additional Commissioner Mushfiqur Rahman went unanswered.

A customs officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the move was “temporary” and linked to internal administrative adjustments. “The issue may be resolved soon,” the official said.