Economic benefits in the implementation of Daulatganj Mazdia land port

             Changkhali zero point 

” Economic benefits in the implementation of Daulatganj Mazdia land port.”

[ The door of immense potential is opening in Jibannagar of Chuadanga.]

Introduction : A land port is a border station for the import and export of goods which is a domestic port of the country or an international terminal where goods are transported by road and rail communication. Daulatganj land port is located at south west border of Bangladesh.
Daulatganj Land Port, is a land port of
Bangladesh situated in Daulatganj of Jibannagar Upazila in the Chuadanga District. This port is used to export-import good with India through Daulatganj- Mazdia border. This port is controlled by Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA). Daulatganj land port is the easiest entrance point for journey to Kolkata, West Bengal.

Historical overview : Daulatganj-Mazdia land port was operated as a customs station from 1953 to 1975. But during the Pak-India war in 1965, the customs station was closed. Later, in 1982, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) of the Government of Bangladesh directed to reopen the customs station. Later it shuts down again. Then, on 15 July 1997, the National Board of Revenue issued a circular reopening the customs station, allowing the import of 19 goods into the port.
Recently, Darshana of Damurhuda upazila and Daulatganj of Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga district have been published as separate land ports in Bangladesh Gazette by the concerned authorities of present government. According to sources, the route of Darshana Land Port is Darshana of Bangladesh and Gede of India on rail way and high way.
On the other hand, the route of Daulatganj land port is Daulatganj of Bangladesh and Mazdia of India.

Border management at Bangladesh border side:
Distance of port from Chuadanga city and from national highway ; it is 32 km from Chuadanga district town and 32 km from Kaliganj national highway in Jhenaidah district. After reaching Jibannagar by Jashore-Kaliganj-Jibannagar road, one can reach Daulatganj Changkhali land port via Changkhali road from Jibannagar crossroads to the west. The port is located at BGB border post in Daulatganj mouza, 6 km away from Jibannagar upazila headquarters. There is a paved road from Jibannagar town to Zero Point.

Border management at Indian border side:
On the other side of the Daulatganj land port on the Indian side, the Indian border is known as Zero point Tungi. The Mazdia-Tungi road is the India-Bangla border road. There is a paved road from Tungi to Mazdia at a distance of 5 km. At a distance of about 3.00 km from this Zero point in India, there is a Kolkata-Darshana rail link from Mazdia. Distance from Mazdia to Krishnanagar – 25 km.
Distance of National Highway No. 34 from the border point of India – 30 km. Distance from Petropol / Benapole port to Indian National Highway – 160 km. Distance of National Highway from Sonamasjid Port to India is 318 km.

Economic benefits in the
implementation of Daulatganj
Mazdia land port.

1. Benefits from adjacent ports : The distance from Daulatganj land port to Kaliganj in Jhenaidah district is about 32 km and the distance from Zero point in India border to Krishnanagar in India is 30 km. Daulatganj land port is very close to the national highways of both the countries.

2. Less transportation cost : Due to its proximity to the national highway, the cost of transportation of vehicles coming to Jibannagar will be less and it will take much less time than Benapole and Sonamasjid ports. The present Benapole port has a traffic jam. With the opening of Daulatganj land port, the congestion will be reduced and the activities of Benapole port will gain momentum.

3. Reduce travel time : That national highway of India has gone to different states of India including West Bengal. It can be seen that the distance of Jibannagar land port from National Highway of India is much less than Petropol / Benapole port and Sonamasjid port. Due to the short distance, it will be possible to transport goods to Kolkata and the states of Bihar and Orissa through the port of Daulatganj at a very low transport cost, in a short time and easily.
Travelers crossing With the launch of the Jibannnagar land port, a significant number of travelers from Bangladesh and India are likely to cross the border. Both the countries have wide paved roads from the zero point of the port. There is also a train connection to India at a distance of 3.00 km from Zero point. Due to its geographical and social location, travelers can easily navigate this route.

4. Land acquisition facility : Land acquisition facility required for the port There is ample land on both sides of the Daulatganj land port road. This area is flood free and relatively high nature crop land. Land required for roads and ports can be easily acquired.

5. Power benefits : Electricity connection has been established up to a distance of approximately one and a quarter kilometers from Daulatganj land port area. As a result, it will be easier and less expensive to provide electricity connection to the port.

6. Infrastructural development : Daulatganj land port has the existing infrastructure.
Due to the fact that the port is located at a distance of only 6.00 km from the center of Jibannagar Upazila, the necessary facilities of the city will be available for the operation of the port. Due to the land port, there will be road ghats and various infrastructural developments in the area. Bank insurance business will expand. Many construction houses will be built for hotels and warehousing.
In order to make the land port fully operational, infrastructure needs to be built. (a) The aim of establishing land port is to acquire land required for construction of related infrastructure. (b) In order to facilitate the import and export of goods and passenger movement through Daulatganj land port, construction of check post and office building as well as product shipment yard will have to be constructed. (c) Necessary staff will have to
be recruited.

7. Mitigation of financial loss : At present 500-600 trucks pass through Jessore Benapole port. It takes three to 16 days to redeem them. The people involved in the financial loss. If Darshana and Daulatganj are full land ports, it will be possible to unload at least 200 trucks of goods through it every day.

8. Export and Import items :

Import items: Livestock, fish fry, fried fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stones (Stones and boulders), coal, chemical fertilizers, china cray, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, ballclay and quartz.

Export items : All items.

9. Impact of Education : This will lead to the development of the country’s education sector. Students from both countries will have the opportunity to study in both the countries and get higher education.

10. Medical treatment facilities : The people of the country will be able to travel through this place effortlessly from renowned hospitals in Kolkata and other states of India for better treatment. Doctors from Kolkata and India will be able to visit Bangladesh and see patients.

11. Development of tourism sector : The development of the tourism sector will be accelerated by both the countries which will contribute to the growth of the country’s GDP.

12. Employment opportunities : Business and trade will expand in this area and a lot of people will be employed. The opening of the port would open up new possibilities for business. Traders from different parts of the country will come here to import goods. The economic landscape of Chuadanga district will change.

Drawbacks :

1. Illegal trades : This route can be used as one of the places of black market business.

2. Gold business : This place can be used as one of the ways to smuggle gold.

3. Drugs and Smuggling : There is a possibility of drugs and smuggling through this place.

4. Attitude of BGB and BSF : The behavior of BGB members and BSF’s in the border areas is not satisfactory.

5. Eviction: Business shops and establishments under construction may be vandalized to widen the road, causing problems for traders and owners.

In conclusion, the upliftment project of Daulatganj land port is economically and financially stable. The project will play a significant role in promoting trade between Bangladesh and India on the hot economic corridor linking Khulna in Bangladesh and Krishnanagar , Nadia in India. In addition, with the construction of the second Padma Bridge at Paturia Daulatdia Ghat, similar to the Padma Bridge, Daulatganj land port in Jibannagar will be considered as one of the largest land ports in the country like Benapole land port in Jashore. Although there will be some risks , all the risks wil be overcome with easy while the implementation agency, Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA) with monitor them in construction and operation periods.