Sakhwat Inaugurates Cargo Vehicle Terminal at Benapole

Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M. Sakhawat Hossain

During the inauguration, Sakhawat highlighted that the CVT would accommodate both Indian import trucks and Bangladeshi export trucks, easing congestion at the busy port. “The lack of a dedicated terminal had led to traffic jams, as Indian trucks often overcrowded the roads,” he said.

The Benapole Land Port handles a significant portion of Bangladesh's trade with India, with up to 600 Indian trucks and 500 Bangladeshi export trucks passing through daily. This high volume often caused disruptions and delays, but Sakhawat emphasized that the new terminal would improve operational efficiency, reduce turnover time for trucks, and boost the port's revenue.

The new CVT, built on 41 acres of land at a cost of Tk 329.20 crore, can accommodate over 1,500 trucks. It features a parking yard, internal roads, a cargo building, a port service building, and modern facilities including a fire-fighting unit, CCTV, a 100-tonne weight machine, and an advanced drainage system.

Sakhawat also stressed the importance of improving port services, reducing road congestion, enhancing passenger facilities, and tightening security.

The inauguration event was attended by Additional Secretary of the Shipping Ministry Deloara Begum, Chairman of the Bangladesh Land Port Authority Mohammad Manjarul Mannan, and senior officials from the port and district administration.