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Bangladesh Protests
Jul. 22, 2024
Customer Advisory
Bangladesh Protests: Current Situation and Impact
Ongoing protests in Bangladesh over the civil service job quota system have escalated, leading to widespread unrest, internet outages, mandatory curfews, and disruptions to freight movement across the country. Trade between India and Bangladesh via land ports has come to a standstill and economic activities have come to a halt.
Key Information:
- Customs Holiday: Bangladeshi Customs declared a two-day holiday from July 21st to July 22nd, suspending all non-essential cargo movements, leaving over 700 trucks stranded at Petrapole, the India side of the largest customs checkpoint in Asia between India and Bangladesh, awaiting clearance.
- Port Impact: The customs house of Chattogram port – which handles over 80 percent of the country’s exports and imports – has not been able to clear cargo for more than two days.
- Air Cargo Impact: Amid internet outages, customs systems are unavailable and air cargo movements have come to a complete stop until internet services are restored.
- Cross-border Trucking Impact: The protests have halted trade between India and Bangladesh via key land ports including Petrapole, Gojadanga, Fulbari, and Mahadipur. Approximately 400-450 trucks from India and 150-200 trucks from Bangladesh, crucial for daily cross-border trade, are unable to move, significantly disrupting freight operations.
KWE continues to monitor the situation closely and is committed to minimizing disruptions in your cargo operations. For assistance, please contact your KWE representative.