India imposes new user carge on Bangladesh land route travel

India has imposed a Passenger User Charge for travellers crossing the India-Bangladesh border by land, increasing costs for passport-holding passengers from the first day of the new year.

Indian authorities began collecting 200 to 500 Indian rupees from passengers travelling through the Benapole–Petrapole international land port, one of the busiest crossings between the two countries from Thursday, January 1.

The decision was taken by the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), said an office order, signed by Petrapole Integrated Check Post manager Kamlesh Saini, on December 30.

Under the new guidelines, Indian, Bangladeshi and other neighbouring country nationals are required to pay 200 rupees, inclusive of GST, as a passenger service fee. Third-country nationals are being charged 500 rupees or $5, while children under the age of 10 are subject to a reduced fee of 50 rupees. Certain Indian government departments and designated agencies have been exempted.

Indian authorities said that the charge has been introduced to improve and modernise passenger services at international land ports. As part of the initiative, a digital slot-booking system has also been launched to ease congestion, allowing travellers to book slots through a website or mobile application.

The move has drawn mixed reactions from passengers. Several travellers at the Benapole international passenger terminal said the additional fee has increased the financial burden on cross-border travellers, particularly patients, low-income individuals and economically vulnerable groups.

Passengers also pointed out that Bangladesh has already raised travel-related taxes in recent years, with the current rates set at Tk 1,000 per passenger as travel tax and Tk 56 as port tax. They said the introduction of a new Indian user charge has further increased the overall cost of land travel.

Expressing disappointment, Romana, a passenger, said that many had expected improvements in visa processing and the resumption of regualr visa services in the new year. 

Instead, a news fee has been imposed, adding to travel expenses for all land-route passengers from January 1, she added.

Confirming the matter, Benapole Checkpost Customs revenue officer Farhad Hossain said that several passengers arriving from India reported paying the Passenger User Charge to the Indian Land Ports Authority.

'We learned about the matter from them,' he added.

Md Jamal Hossain/MHK