Bengal suggests rail path for trade with Bangladesh after rap from Centre

The trade between India and Bangladesh can continue through Gede in south Bengal’s Nadia district during the coronavirus lockdown, the West Bengal government has proposed to the Centre.

The move comes after the Centre came down hard on the Mamata Banerjee government on Wednesday for not allowing movements of goods traffic through border crossings between your two neighbouring countries during the lockdown - a approach it said could jeopardise India’s international commitments.

“Among the proposals that offers come up in the letters that were exchanged between the Centre and the condition is to keep international trade between India and Bangladesh through Gede via trains. That is safer and appropriate,” said Alapan Bandyopadhay, point out home secretary.

Union house secretary Ajay Bhalla, in his letter to West Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha, had explained over Wednesday that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in the talk about, didn’t resume.

Bhalla told that in so doing, West Bengal was not only violating the Ministry of House Affairs’ orders under Disaster Control Act but also Articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India.

To this, Bandyopadhay had earlier explained that there were some local challenges which had cropped up at Petrapole in North 24 Parganas.

“In case of Petrapole there has been some public issue. People at the border happen to be in emotive commotion. The whole thing has been navigated. We will address the issue in due period after careful consideration of all elements involved. There are lots of issues regarding trade between India and Bangladesh. They might be considered after thorough discussion,” Bandopadhyay had stated on Wednesday immediately after the centre’s letter.

Bangladesh is India’s most important trade partner found in South Asia. India’s export to Bangladesh for the personal yr 2018-19 was $9.21 billion and imports from Bangladesh for the same period was $1.22 billion.