Petrapole-Benapole border (West Bengal): The usually bustling Petrapole border, a vital link between West Bengal and Bangladesh, now stands eerily quiet, mirroring the political turbulence sweeping across Bangladesh. The usual flow of people and goods has drastically slowed, disrupting lives on both sides.
“Medical visas have been on hold for two weeks,” lamented Jaliluddin, who has come to India for medical treatment. “Only those with prior visas can enter. And with no public transport on the Bangladesh side, private vehicles are charging exorbitant fees.”
Petrapole, South Asia’s largest land port, is a crucial trade and passenger hub. Nearly 30% of India-Bangladesh land-based trade flows through this border. An average of 2.2 million people cross the border post on either side each year.
The decline in activity has hit border-dependent livelihoods hard. “The economic downturn began during COVID-19 and worsened with the political unrest,” explained Shamal Roy, a porter with 40 years of work experience. “Our registered porters have halved, and daily earnings have shrunk.”
Porters are finding it difficult to earn money due to decline in activity in the Petrapole international border. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
The unrest has strained trade at Petrapole. “Yesterday, 418 trucks carrying goods like fruits and machinery left for Bangladesh, while 179 trucks with items like hilsa and jute entered India. These figures are below normal,” said Dhritiman Pal, a local businessman. “The Bangladesh economy is under severe strain, with dollar shortages and a lack of new orders.”
Shipra Sarkar was returning to Dhaka after a short visit to relatives in Howrah. The recent spate of violence on minorities began while she was out of Bangladesh. She expressed fears of escalating unrest. “There are rumours of criminal gangs demanding money and creating unrest in our area. I’m scared to go back, but it’s my home.”
However, not everyone shares her grim outlook. Nipa, a resident of Comilla, painted a relatively calmer picture. “While there’s unrest in certain areas, our locality remains peaceful. People of all faiths coexist harmoniously, and the roads are safe,” she assured.
Despite these differing accounts, Dhaka-based businessman Rahayan Kajal criticised the Indian media’s portrayal of the situation. “The Indian media is exaggerating the news,” he said. “While attacks, extortions, and assaults on minorities have occurred in certain areas, these incidents are localised. Even the Muslim majority is not immune to the threats posed by criminal gangs who are exploiting the political instability to extort money.”
With no public transport on the Bangladesh side, private vehicles are charging exorbitant fees, many commuters noted. Many people also criticised India media’s coverage of the atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
Tapan Saha, a trader from Bongaon, was returning from Dhaka after a successful business trip. He shared a similar skepticism. “Everyday life in Dhaka seemed normal to me, but videos of unrest are absent from Bangladeshi media yet circulate on the web pages of the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]. It’s puzzling.”
A long stretch of the historic Jessore Road, linking Kolkata to Jessore in Bangladesh, is now lined with banners and saffron flags bearing the name “Sanatan Aikya Mancha.” The flags prominently feature images of BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, who is portrayed as a “Hindu Heart Emperor,” echoing the larger-than-life persona of Narendra Modi.
Bengali social media is awash with reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, alongside a provocative image allegedly showing the Indian national flag being insulted at a premier university in the neighbouring country.
“This is a sensitive issue,” Saha noted. “While upper and middle-class Bengalis are concerned, many are oversimplifying the problem. International diplomacy is crucial for a lasting solution.”
For those dependent on the Petrapole border’s economic activity, a resolution can’t come soon enough. “Petrapole’s economy is deeply linked to Bangladesh’s stability,” said businessman Pal. “Until normalcy returns, livelihoods here remain uncertain.”
Political parties make calculated move
As expected, with Bangladesh as the backdrop, political parties have begun to calculate their gains in their own way. Moreover, two prominent local channels are providing non-stop coverage of the issue.
Recognising the stakes, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has taken a position that some within the party describe as ‘contradictory.’ On one hand, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her willingness to align with the Union government’s stance on foreign affairs, including the developments in Bangladesh. On the other, she has called for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to Bangladesh during an assembly session. There is a debate on whether peacekeeping forces can be sent this way or whether there is such an opportunity at the diplomatic level.
Petrapole international border, West Bengal. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
This seemingly dual strategy reflects Banerjee’s calculated effort to navigate complex political dynamics – reinforcing her appeal to the Muslim minority vote in West Bengal while simultaneously signalling solidarity with Hindu minority communities across the border to address broader electoral calculations, a move that even the BJP finds difficult to outrightly dismiss. It’s no surprise that she repeatedly says, “We love everyone.”
The ruling TMC’s stance is somewhat ‘haphazard,’ according to many within the party. The party’s mouthpiece on Wednesday wrote the headline of a report as: ‘The Yunus government’s incivility continues.’
Similarly, BJP spokesperson Mohit Roy said, “This is an international issue, and India must act decisively. We don’t consider her demand unjustifiable.”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has called out the TMC for “aligning” with the BJP.
“Before the BJP-led central government addresses international issues, the TMC appears to be aligning itself with the BJP’s stance within the state. Our party consistently advocates for the protection and security of minorities in every country, but talk of peacekeepers is premature unless a war-like situation arises,” said CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty.
Also read: At Talks Between Top Diplomats, India Says it Wants ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Ties With Bangladesh
Moreover, the arrest of a monk in Bangladesh, followed by allegations of attacks on minorities and the use of their ‘vulnerability’ as a weapon, has prompted Opposition parties in West Bengal to take to the streets again. Many believe that the role of a section of the Indian media in covering the Bangladesh incidents is providing ‘oxygen’ to this.
Not only is Opposition party leader Adhikari involved, the leaders of Hindu nationalist organisations are also organising programmes. Simultaneously, social media campaigns are underway.
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
