Allegations of 'mismanagement' at Benapole port, operating with no director for 10 months

The country's largest land port Benapole has been operating without a director for the last ten months as the government did not appoint anyone since November last year.

"The activities of Benapole port are going on under extreme mismanagement. Administrative activities are being carried out by a deputy director in the port," said Mofizur Rahman Sajan, president of Benapole C&F Agents Association.

The deputy director has to take permission from the head office of Bangladesh Land Ports Authority in order to take any administrative decision, he said.

Benapole Port came under Bangladesh Land Ports Authority around 19 years back and thirteen directors served at the port, reports our Benapole correspondent.

The last director (an officer at the level of deputy-secretary) of the port left for Dhaka in November last year, due to lobbying from higher authorities, said Sajan.

Benapole Port Deputy Director Mamun Tarafdar said the port has been running without director for the last 10 months. He has to contact with the head office in Dhaka for any problem and taking decision.

Goods worth around Tk 40,000 crore are imported from India through this port each year, from which government earns about Tk 5,500 crore.

Ten thousand crore taka worth of various Bangladeshi products are also exported to India every year through Benapole land port, he said.

About 401,017 metric tons of goods were exported in 2018-19 financial year while nearly 336, 729 metric tons of goods were exported to India in the 2019-20 fiscal year, the port sources said.

Mofizur Rahman Sajan alleged that a lot of infrastructure is in poor shape causing sufferings to traders during loading, unloading and delivery of goods.

He said the acting director has less bureaucratic power. He can do nothing without direction from the chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority.