Fighting cattle smuggling, slot reservation policy, economic problems: Bongaon’s struggle in the transition period

However, stringent measures taken by the BSF have led to a complete halt in cattle smuggling in the Bongaon area in the last few years.

“The threat of cattle smuggling has completely stopped. While most of those who were earlier involved in this trade have turned to smuggling of gold, fensedyl syrup, smuggled drugs and electronic items, others have moved elsewhere in search of legal work,” said a senior BSF official on the South Bengal border.

Local BJP MLA Ashok Kirtania admitted that the crackdown on cattle smuggling had led to a chain reaction.

“People were involved in this illegal trade both directly and indirectly. “Those directly involved changed companies, but those indirectly involved were mostly poor and have now moved to other states in search of new jobs,” he said.

Residents of the region alleged that the West Bengal government’s introduction of an online slot reservation system for border-crossing vehicles, though introduced to streamline the process and boost exports, ultimately deepened the economic woes of the residents.

The state has introduced a slot reservation system at the Petrapole land border in Bongaon to reduce detention times for trucks, allowing exporters to send trucks directly to Bangladesh without having to tranship the goods to local trucks as was the case earlier.

The new rule, resented by local truck operators, has created livelihood problems for vehicle owners, drivers, carriers and workers. Carriers say goods were previously unloaded and loaded at various local warehouses, providing employment to thousands of people in the now lost area.

“The slot reservation system was supposed to make things easier. Instead, it has created huge economic problems for local carriers who are now out of work. A truck coming from Punjab can now directly book a slot and proceed to the other side. Earlier, goods were unloaded here and then transported to Bangladesh in local trucks,” says Anil Sarkar, a truck operator.

“Many people involved in this transportation industry have left Bongaon in the last two years,” he said.

The economic impact of the slowdown goes beyond immediate concerns about livelihoods. The depletion of human capital threatens to limit the region’s development prospects, hampering efforts to support sustainable growth and prosperity.

Bongaon, once a bustling center of commerce, is now grappling with the harsh reality of stagnation and regression.

“Business activities here have slowed down drastically,” says Suman Ghosh, a local shop owner. “There are fewer customers and businesses are suffering.

“Eighty percent of Bongaon’s people are engaged in import and export. There are 200 carriers, 150-200 warehouses and their employees, over 7,000 trucks and truck drivers, and thousands of people who will lose their jobs. We oppose this decision of the state government,” said BJP district president Debdas Mondal.

Kirtania admitted to the crisis in the transport industry in this border area.

“This system of seat reservation by the state government to fill its coffers has resulted in severe loss of livelihood to the people of the area. Bongaon’s border economy relies heavily on the local shipping industry, which is now completely ruined. There are several trucks lying on the roads that have been out of service for two years. Warehouses are also not growing as well as before,” he told PTI.

“Many people have moved to other states or now drive Totos and vans in rural areas,” Kirtania said.

However, the TMC believes that the problem has been exaggerated and that the state government has taken all steps to solve the unemployment problem.

“The new system has been introduced to ensure that the goods are not damaged during many days of waiting here. If it has caused some problems, the state government has taken appropriate steps to resolve them,” TMC leader Ratan Ghosh said.

Bongaon is currently grappling with this uncertainty even as the region goes to polls on May 20 for the fifth phase of elections. The developments seem to be affecting local youth in one way or another.

“With their main source of income suddenly cut off, many young people are struggling with financial insecurity and instability,” Lipton Roy, a local leader of the region’s dominant Matua Namasudra community, which is believed to hold the key to the Bongaon election outcome, said. PTI PNT SMY RG

This report is auto-generated from PTI news website. ThePrint is not responsible for its content.

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