India restricts land-based imports from B’desh, set to affect livelihood in border districts
The Statesman | 19 May 2025
In a significant policy shift, the Indian government has imposed sweeping restrictions on land-based imports from Bangladesh, citing rising anti-India activities allegedly spearheaded by the caretaker government in Dhaka led by Mohammed Yunus.
The move is expected to severely impact cross-border trade and the livelihoods of thousands who depend on daily-wage work and logistics along the India-Bangladesh border including Ghojadanga in Basirhat and Petrapole-Benapole border in Bongaon in North 24-Parganas. A fresh directive issued Saturday by India’s central government bans the import of several categories of goods—most notably readymade garments, cotton fabrics, wooden furniture, packaged beverages, and certain food items—through key land ports.
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The new restrictions apply to major trade corridors including Petrapole in West Bengal and select northeastern ports such as Changrabandha and Fulbari. These goods may now only be imported via Kolkata or Mumbai seaports. The policy appears to be a direct response to repeated provocations and anti-India rhetoric emanating from Bangladesh’s interim administration. “The caretaker government has crossed a line,” a senior BJP Member of Parliament said on condition of anonymity. “India has rightly decided to act. It’s time Bangladesh learns a lesson.” Petrapole, India’s largest land port through which nearly 40% of imported Bangladeshi textiles and cotton products flow, witnessed immediate disruptions on Sunday. Traders and laborers working at the port expressed deep concern over the ripple effect on their daily earnings. “This sudden halt in textile trade is a body blow to the entire ecosystem of port workers, logistics providers, and small businesses,” said Kartik Chakraborty, a local trader. “Bangladesh should realize how much we’ve contributed to their independence. We’ve become the villain in their narrative.”
While trade came to a near-standstill at Petrapole, operations remained largely unaffected at Ghojadanga, another crucial land port in the Basirhat region. Over 100 cargo trucks reportedly crossed the border as usual on Sunday. But uncertainty looms. “We’re watching the situation closely,” said Sanjib Mondal, secretary of the Ghojadanga Clearing and Forwarding Agents’ Association. “If similar restrictions hit our route, the consequences for daily wage workers and truck operators will be dire. But we stand with our government’s decision—nation first.” The escalating tension adds a new dimension to the fragile geopolitical balance in South Asia, where economic interdependence often competes with nationalistic posturing. For now, stakeholders on both sides of the border remain caught in a cycle of hope and anxiety, awaiting the next move in an increasingly complex bilateral equation.