‘Record’ number of travellers used Benapole port before Eid

Nearly 64,000 people used Benapole land port to travel to and from India from Jun 16-25 before Eid-ul-Azha, setting a record, officials have said.

The figure, around 8,000 a day, is double the usual number of travellers who use the port, said Ahsan Habib, chief of immigration police at the land port in Jashore’s Sharsha.

Speaking to bdnews24.com on Friday, he said many travelled to India on holiday while others crossed the border to visit relatives, for treatment, business or shopping.

As many as 22,673 travelled to India through the port in the eight-day period, and 30,066 returned to Bangladesh, according to him.

The number of people going to India increased after Jun 22, he said.

Police, Ansar and security guards were finding it difficult to handle so many travellers on Friday.

Travellers said they waited in queues for hours. Many of them, especially patients seeking treatment in India, sat on the street for comfort.

“Our people are working tirelessly. I hope there won’t be any trouble,” said Ahsan.