Bhomra land port trading unstable due to fuel price hike

Bhomra Land Port in Satkhira has been affected by the fuel price hike. Importers have reduced onion imports from India due to a surge in transportation costs affecting onion pricing.

The per kg onion price at the wholesale market has already gone up Tk5-Tk6 further aggravating the suffering of  people with low incomes.

Although the port authorities have been claiming the situation to be normal, businesses said they were trying to keep commodity prices at a tolerable limit. 

Photo: TBS

Owner of Ovi Enterprise Jaydeb Ghosh, an importer at the Bhomra Land Port, told The Business Standard that the country is economically in a vulnerable condition given the dollar crisis for which trading at the port has become unstable. Transportation costs have increased due to a fuel price hike that is affecting the lives of people.

Owner of Anisha Traders, Hasan Ali, said onions were imported by 27 trucks on Sunday, which dropped to 15 trucks on Monday, as businesses have been importing less. 

"The wholesale price of Indian onions has increased to Tk27-Tk28 from Tk22 in two days as the truck transportation cost to various districts including Dhaka, Chattogram, Barisal has increased from Tk4,000 –Tk6,000," he said.    

Meanwhile, about 3,000 labourers at the port have been facing difficulties in maintaining their daily expenses as their wages have not increased relative to the rising commodity prices. 

Day labourer Ruhul Amin said he earns Tk200-300 daily which is not sufficient for buying essential commodities from the market. 

He demanded that wages be increased for them and truck drivers at the port.

Bhomra C&F Agent Association General Secretary Maksud Alam Khan said they have discussed the impact of the fuel price hike at the port as transportation costs have gone up. 

"We have urged businesses to keep commodity prices at an acceptable limit," he said.    

Bhomra Land Port Deputy Director Monirul Islam said about 350 trucks with imported goods from India enter daily through the port and 50 trucks enter India with export goods from Bangladesh. The port collects Tk3 crore in revenue daily.

"Export-import activities are normal at the port. It is not under our jurisdiction to manage the commodity price hike in the market," he said.