Two days of incessant rainfall have inundated several storage sheds at Benapole Land Port, leaving imported goods partially submerged and raising fears of losses worth crores of taka for importers.
Continuous rain since Friday has caused water to enter several warehouses near Gate No. 3 of the country's largest land port, with water reaching knee level in some areas. The flooding has disrupted cargo handling and damaged stored goods.
Port authorities have deployed power pumps to drain the water, while officials and representatives of port users have inspected the affected sheds.
Importers blamed the recurring flooding on the port's inadequate drainage infrastructure, saying waterlogging has become a regular occurrence during the monsoon despite repeated demands for a permanent solution.
Mohsin Milon, senior vice-president of the Benapole Customs C&F Agents Association, alleged that longstanding complaints about poor drainage and mismanagement had gone unaddressed. He said a committee formed to tackle waterlogging had failed to function effectively and that traders receive no compensation because imported goods stored at the port are not insured.
Ziaur Rahman, general secretary of the Benapole Port Importers and Exporters Association, said many importers had suffered significant losses as rainwater entered warehouses. He added that although port charges increase every year, investment in drainage and infrastructure has remained inadequate.
Badruzzaman Boni, general secretary of the C&F Agent Staff Association, said the flooding was the result of unplanned development and the absence of an effective drainage system. He noted that despite generating around Tk10,000 crore in annual government revenue, the port continues to face the same problem year after year.
Benapole Land Port Deputy Director Kazi Ratan said goods in several sheds had been affected by rainwater. He said power pumps were being used to remove the accumulated water, although continuous rainfall had slowed the operation.
"We hope the situation will improve once the rain stops. At the same time, efforts are underway to identify a permanent solution to the port's chronic waterlogging," he said.