Exports and imports between Bangladesh and India through the Benapole land port in Jessore came to a standstill recently following an alleged obstacle created by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in returning the body of a Bangladeshi truck driver who tragically passed away there.

In response to this situation, leaders and members of various truck, lorry, and motor workers’ associations initiated a strike even as they underlined the action would continue until the deceased driver’s body was repatriated.

Md Shahin Hossain, the General Secretary of the Benapole Truck Workers’ Union, explained that a truck transporting jute product from Faridpur’s Golden Jute Industries had travelled to India’s Petrapol land port recently even as unfortunately, the driver, Nazmus Shahadat Babul, suffered a stroke while waiting at the port overnight as the unloading of the truck was not completed.

Regrettably, he passed away on the premises.

Despite repeated requests, the relevant authorities have not facilitated the repatriation of the deceased driver’s body, he alleged while Sajedur Rahman, the General Secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, noted that they learned of Babul’s demise from Kartick Chakraborty, the General Secretary of the Petrapol C&F Welfare Association.

Meanwhile, local transport workers expressed their determination not to resume work until the deceased driver’s body was returned.

Rezaul Karim, the officer-in-charge of the Benapole port reportedly confirmed the driver’s death to the media and mentioned that the body would be repatriated to Bangladesh following the completion of an autopsy and necessary legal procedures.