Transporters protest at Indo-Bangladesh checkpoint after BSF crackdown on fake licences
India Today
Truck drivers and transporters at ICP Petrapole in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas staged a fierce sit-in demonstration after the BSF banned truck drivers with fake driving licences.
Truck drivers and transporters at ICP Petrapole in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas staged a fierce sit-in demonstration against the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) deployed at the check-point, bringing India-Bangladesh trade to a standstill for hours.
The truckers and transporters are up in arms against the BSF checking the driving license of drivers going from India to Bangladesh with export goods and preventing unauthorized local truck drivers and helpers from entering the ICP. There are fierce protests against the steps taken by the BSF under the SOP and law.
From January 16-20 this year, the BSF took a major action on ICP Petrapole and exposed the truck drivers who have fraudulently obtained fake driving licenses. These drivers are suspected of being involved in smuggling of various goods across the border under the guise of legitimate trade.
During the last three days, the BSF seized fake driving licenses from 90 truck drivers in a surprise check at ICP Petrapole. Following this, the BSF banned the import-export trucks from coming to the ICP without checking the authenticity of driving licenses.
READ | Drugs worth over Rs 47 crore seized by BSF in 2021, 11 Bangladeshis held
The drivers and transporters involved in the agitation are trying to put pressure for the withdrawal of the new rules implemented by BSF and LPAI. In the coming days, they have threatened to intensify the protests and disrupt India-Bangladesh trade.
ICP Petrapole is the largest land port in South Asia and the most important point of entry for passengers from Bangladesh. It handles the maximum trade between India and Bangladesh.