The country’s main land port, Benapole International Checkpost, is now full of thousands of passengers commuting daily to neighboring India. Many could not go to India as travel visas were closed for a long time due to corona. With the recent introduction of tourist visas, travel to India has increased significantly.
According to immigration sources, 20,460 domestic and foreign passport holders traveled to India through Benapole Immigration in six days from April 17 to April 25. Of these, 10,565 Bangladeshi passport holders went to India. And 2,849 passengers went to other countries including India. At the same time, 5,109 Bangladeshi passport holders came from India. And 1,938 passengers came from India and other countries. Which has doubled the number of passengers in the last two weeks.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Crowds of passengers were spotted at the Customs Immigration checkpoint on Tuesday (April 26) morning. The long line from immigration is 250 yards out. Benapole Land Port Authority has set up a terminal for passengers. It has 50 seats inside the terminal. But on this route three thousand to four thousand passengers go to India every day. Passengers are also standing outside with terminal fees, burning in the sun, soaking in the rain. The elderly including the patients are suffering.
“My husband works in a private company,” said Dipali Karmakar of Dhaka, who is waiting for immigration. I could not go to India because of Corona. Now I am going to travel to India after getting a tourist visa.
Nazrul Islam said, “I have been standing in line for two long hours.” Never before has such a situation arisen. Thousands of people are going to India every day on tourist visas. However, it would be better to have a separate line for patients.
Alamgir Hossain from Mymensingh said, “I came to Benapole all night and saw a long line at the entrance. It took about 3 hours to get out of that line. In the name of passenger service, Benapole Port Authority has taken a terminal fee of Tk 50 from me through Sonali Bank. But there is no problem of passenger service here.
Sudeb Kumar of Satkhira complained that the passport holders who came for treatment at Benapole check post were in more difficulty. Standing in the scorching sun in front of the International Passenger Terminal, sick patients are getting sicker. In addition, the elderly and children have been seen standing in the sun and fidgeting. Even if you take 50 rupees in the name of service here, there is no necessary arrangement for the passengers.
Benapole Immigration OC Mohammad Raju told Jago News that before this there were four to five hundred passengers coming and going. In the last three days it has exceeded 4,000. The number of passengers will increase as the Indian government issues travel visas. The quality of passenger service has increased in Benapole Immigration. Immigration officials are working to make it easier for travelers from far and wide to enter India.
