A Tk20 per litre fuel price hike has pushed up cargo transport costs at Benapole Land Port, with truck freight charges rising by Tk4,000 to Tk8,000 on major routes, depending on the destination.
The increase has slowed import-export activities at the country’s largest land port, while traders fear that higher transport costs could push up commodity prices.
Among various routes from Benapole, freight charges have risen the most for Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet. A truck carrying goods from Benapole to Dhaka previously cost Tk20,000–21,000 but the charge rose to Tk25,000–26,000 from Tuesday morning.
On the Chattogram route, the cost has increased from Tk27,000–28,000 to Tk35,000–36,000. For routes to Gazipur, Tongi and Narayanganj, the freight charge has risen from around Tk22,000 to Tk26,000–27,000.
The government has increased the prices of diesel, kerosene, octane and petrol by Tk20 per litre following a rise in global fuel prices and freight charges due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Truck owners and drivers said transport costs have increased further due to higher prices of tyres, truck spare parts, ferry charges and tolls following the fuel price hike.
They also said trucks often return empty from Dhaka and other destinations due to a lack of sufficient cargo, forcing operators to raise freight charges to cover costs in both directions.
Azim Uddin Gazi, general secretary of the Benapole Transport Agency Owners’ Association, said freight charges for transporting goods from Benapole to different parts of the country had increased significantly.
“Along with the fuel price hike, ferry charges and tolls have also increased. Many trucks do not get enough cargo while returning from Dhaka. For these reasons, truck owners have had to increase fares,” he said.
He added that the situation was creating a shortage of trucks and covered vans. More than 500 goods-carrying trucks, including over 200 covered vans, leave Benapole Port for different destinations every day.
“However, normal goods transportation is being disrupted due to higher fares and a shortage of trucks. This may also affect the prices of essential commodities,” he said.
Truck driver Rakib Hossain, who was carrying goods from Benapole to Dhaka, said a truck requires around 150 litres of fuel for a round trip between Benapole and Dhaka.
“An increase of Tk20 per litre has raised fuel costs by around Tk3,000 alone. Besides this, there are ferry charges, bridge tolls and other expenses. We also do not always get return cargo from Dhaka. So, we have to charge Tk4,000 to Tk5,000 more per trip,” he said.
Another truck driver, Abdul Khaleq, said he was transporting garment raw materials to Dhaka and had to pay Tk5,000 more in freight compared with before.
“Truck fares increased again immediately after the fuel price hike,” he said.
The rise in transport costs has also affected import and export businesses operating through the port.
Motiar Rahman, president of the Benapole Land Port Importer and Exporter Association and proprietor of C&F firm Sarathi Enterprise, said around 350 to 400 trucks carrying imported goods and 100 to 150 trucks carrying export goods move through Benapole every day.
“After the fuel price hike, truck owners have increased freight charges by Tk5,000 to Tk6,000. This has put traders in serious difficulty,” he said.
Rahman said higher transport costs were creating problems in sending imported and exported goods to different districts.
“If traders adjust the additional transport costs with product prices, the burden will ultimately fall on consumers,” he added.
Benapole C&F businessman Abul Hossain said transport costs had increased significantly compared with normal times due to the fuel price hike and truck shortages.
“Although traders import goods hoping to make profits, unusually high transport costs are creating the risk of losses in many cases. Particularly for perishable goods, some traders are being forced to pay higher charges to clear their products to avoid spoilage,” he said.
The situation has also raised concerns among handling workers at Benapole Land Port.
Workers said around 5,000 labourers from two unions are regularly engaged in loading and unloading goods at the port. Due to truck shortages and higher freight charges, importers are unable to clear many goods.
They claimed that while 400 to 600 trucks carrying goods were previously loaded and unloaded daily, the number has now fallen by nearly half. They fear prolonged disruption could reduce employment opportunities for workers.
Jashore Chamber of Commerce President and importer Mizanur Rahman Khan said the fuel price hike had increased truck fares, raising transport costs and eventually pushing up the prices of various products.
“Ultimately, consumers will bear the impact,” he said.
