Transportation of products from India to Bangladesh through freight trains declined by a big extent final fiscal yr, primarily as a consequence of a greenback disaster and non-availability of crucial locomotives and workers.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) transported 23.15 lakh tonnes of products from the neighbouring nation in fiscal yr 2022-23, which is 52.74 % lower than that within the earlier yr.
For all latest news, follow The My News’s Google News channel. The BR transported 35.35 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, reveals BR information.
With the decline in items transportation, the BR’s revenue from cross-border commerce additionally noticed a pointy fall final yr.
The BR earned Tk 117.63 crore from transporting items from India final fiscal yr, which was Tk 174.33 crore in fiscal yr 2021-22, which means its revenue had slumped by 48.20 %, reveals the info.
The state-run transport company operated 82 trains each month on a mean final yr whereas it was 133 within the earlier yr, reveals information.
Final yr, the BR introduced items from India by means of 5 interchange stations, specifically Benapole, Darshana, Rohanpur, Birol and Chilahati.
The BR primarily brings rice, wheat, stone and boulder, fly ash and poultry feed.
Transportation of products from India noticed a pointy rise in 2020-21 and 2021-22 amidst the Covid outbreak. The BR earned Tk 176.74 crore by transporting 36.93 lakh tonnes of products in 2021-22, setting a report.
The BR officers and importers mentioned import of products by trains from India was less expensive than carrying them by vans. As well as, carrying items through trains takes much less time than vans, making it common.
Because the operation of passenger trains has remained suspended for a very long time amidst the pandemic, the BR was in a position to make use of the workforce and locomotives to run freight trains in 2020-21 and 2021-22, which sharply elevated its revenue, mentioned a BR official.
However final yr, the BR couldn’t present sufficient locomotives and workers for importing items, the official informed this correspondent whereas wishing anonymity.
Asim Kumar Talukder, basic supervisor (west) of the BR, nevertheless, mentioned the primary motive behind the autumn was for businesspeople being unable to open letters of credit score as a consequence of a greenback disaster final fiscal yr.
