Exporters in India and Bangladesh are unhappy with the decision of the West Bengal government to allegedly suspend trade at the Changrabandha border with Bangladesh in Cooch Behar. In relation with the functioning of ports and port-related activities, the Chief Secretary of West Bengal had on 11 May directed authorities concerned to ensure smooth operations on the borders by maintaining the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

Traders on both the sides at the Panitanki border with Nepal near Siliguri in Darjeeling district had also alleged the same until a few days ago. However, matters have been sorted out at Panitanki and normal trade, however, resumed there from yesterday, sources said.

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“I have received complaints from truckers, who are held up at the Indo-Nepal border in my constituency since 4 June, and apparently the West Bengal police have held up these trucks containing perishable materials owing to alleged verbal order from state government,” Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said in an email to Union home minister Amit Shah on 20 June.

He has also marked a copy to Union home secretary AK Bhalla and the Chief Secretary, West Bengal. Mr Bista has also requested the officials to intervene to resolve the problem at the Panitanki border, as the Centre has not yet issued further orders suspending border trade.

“The Nepal issue has been settled, following my intervention,” Mr Bista said today.

Not only Indians, but tea producers in Nepal had also alleged that the West Bengal police had prevented tea and cardamom-laden lorries from going to India from Nepal via the Panitanki border by citing the coronavirus spread.

Asked to comment, a senior police official said today: “How can the police stop movement of lorries and suspend border trade and breach the Indo-Nepal trade treaty? Police carry out orders given by authorities concerned. It is true that there is a strict SOP for transportation before crossing the border in the Indian part here. However, there is no truck stranded over the Mechi bridge today.”

Notably, a section of tea garden owners in Darjeeling has been trying hard to stop export of tea from Nepal to India. The Darjeeling Tea Association recently wrote to authorities concerned about Nepal tea trade in the Indian market.

Member of the Rajya Sabha, Shanta Chhetri, belonging to the Trinamul Congress, has also urged authorities concerned to stop export of tea from Nepal. On the other hand, a committee comprising 10 organisations associated with border trade between India and Bangladesh at Changrabandha in Cooch Behar was formed, and it has threatened to launch a movement if they are prevented from carrying out the import-export business within three days.

“The committee was scheduled to stage a demonstration today, but following requests from the Mekhliganj SDO, they called off the plans for today and set the three-day deadline,” sources said.

The joint convener of the Changrabandha Sthal Bandar Joutho Sangram Samiti, Ajay Prasad said: “We started the import-export business with Bangladesh on 10 June following two administrative meetings, one of which was convened by the district magistrate. Three hours after we resumed work on 10 June, the administration asked us to stop the trade with Bangladesh, though we had made proper arrangements of sanitization on both sides of the border.”

“Today, we held a meeting with the SDO and decided to call off our agitation. But we will launch a stir if the administration does not allow trade between India and Bangladesh because the livelihood of hundreds of people, including daily wage earners, depend on border trade here,” Mr Prasad said.