The first goods train with 50 electronically sealed containers left Majerhat in Kolkata, crossed Petrapole station in the North 24 Parganas and entered Bangladesh on Sunday. The trains have been introduced to eliminate smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border.
“The train will put a check on the smuggling activities because the containers are electronically sealed so it will not be possible for smugglers to open it and smuggling baggage cannot be placed inside,” a press statement by the South Bengal Frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF) said.
Over the past one month, six persons were arrested while trying to cross the international border using the goods trains. Two of them were minors who were rescued by the BSF and three persons were returning to Bangladesh after doing some work in the country. S.S. Guleria, DIG and PRO of the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF, said container trains will come as an advantage as troops guarding the border will not have to physically check every compartment. “It will also save time and facilitate faster trade.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Trade has been going on through the railway route through the international checkpoints Petrapole (India) and Benapole (Bangladesh) even during the lockdown.
Four fishermen released
The BSF also handed over to Bangladesh four fishermen who have crossed into Indian waters on July 24. Two engine-fitted boats along four fishermen entered the Indian territory while fishing in river Ganga in Murshidabad district.
ADVERTISEMENT
“During the preliminary questioning, we found that they all belonged to the same family,” a press statement of BSF said. The BSF also handed over a protest note to the company commander of the Border Guard Bangladesh asking them to ensure that “Bangladeshi nationals do not violate the international boundary and show respect in maintaining its sanctity”.