Bangladesh
Benapole-Petrapole Number of travellers through Benapole decreases
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, August 18: The number of travellers through Benapole land port is decreasing. Concerned persons said that the crisis has arisen due to the decrease in the value of the Bangladeshi taka in India.
According to immigration sources, 42,203 people travelled to India through Benapole check post and railway between July 22-31. Among them, 18,857 people went to India and 23,346 people came from India. On the other hand, 43,332 people travelled through the land port from August 1-10 of this month. Out of this, 22,390 people went to India and 20,942 people came from India. But only 23,235 people travelled through the international land port from 11-16 August. Among them, 11,678 people went to India and 11,557 people came from India.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Benapole Checkpost Police Immigration Abul Kalam Azad said the number of Bangladeshi passport holders going to India has decreased. "I have come to know that this situation has arisen due to the decrease in the value of the Bangladeshi taka there. If the value of money increases, this problem will not exist."
Meanwhile, the businessmen are depressed due to the serious decrease in travellers. Businessmen in Kolkata's Newmarket, Sadar Street, Marquis Street, Bara Bazar, Mirza Ghalib Street, Belgachia, Chitpur, Taligagna Park Circus, Entally, Anwar Shah Road, Mallikbazar, Rajabazar, Dharmatala Tipu Sultan Mosque Square, Metianuruj, Khidirpur, Park Street, Zakaria Street areas are facing losses.
Ali Hossain Sheikh, who is in charge of Desh Travel Paribahan's Petrapol location, said that the arrival and departure of tourists have stopped in the last two weeks due to the decrease in the value of money. Now a 40-seater Shyamoli bus leaves from Petrapole to Kolkata with only 15-20 passengers, and it is coming from Kolkata with the same passenger.
Sohag Paribahan official Tapan Dey said that the number of passport-holding passengers travelling from Dhaka to Kolkata has reduced by half. Passengers do not want to go to Kolkata due to the devaluation and dollar crisis.
