Bangladesh News

All kinds of transportation to and from India through Benapole land-port halted following the Awami League-led 14-party combine’s nationwide nonstop siege programme that started today.

The port authority shut down all the gates on the main land route to India and didn’t allow anybody to enter the port “for the sake of security”.

A number of goods-laden lorries got stranded at Petrapole port on the Indian side, opposite to Benapole, waiting for entry into Bangladesh, as the whole of the country remained under a blockade.

Hundreds of locals and foreigners, who were scheduled to go to India, gathered at counters of different transport operators.

Riot police have been deployed in Customs and Port area to beef up security.

Another report from Chapainawabganj adds: Transportation from Sona Masjid Customs Station remained suspended due to the 14-party blockade, being enforced to realize their demands for ensuring fair polls.

The blockade programme that started today left huge export and import consignments stranded at the station.

“There are many perishable goods like fruits and vegetables in the stranded product consignments,” many a worried trader said.

The demonstrators put barricades at different points of the town and on Chapainawabganj-Sona Masjid road this morning.

Activists of the combine also held a street meeting in front of the press club at about 11am.