# Benapole

Benapole (Bengali: বেনাপোল) is a town at Sharsha Upazila in the Jessore District of Bangladesh. The Petrapole Customs station of India is situated across the border and since 1947, many people have travelled between Bangladesh and India through Benapole Customs / Land port station. This is one of important rail Transit point of railway link between Bangladesh and India.
Urbanization of Benapole started in the 1990s along the Grand Trunk Road. In April 1971, the operational area of the sector 8 comprised the districts of Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur and Patuakhali. At the end of May the sector was reconstituted and comprised the districts of Kuhstia, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira and the northern part of Faridpur district. Benapole served as the headquarters of sector 8 in the liberation war. It has the largest land port in south Asia and Bangladesh.

## Customs

On the Bangladesh-India land border, Benapole land port is the most important land port of Bangladesh and is operated by the Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA). About 90% of the imported Indian goods enter Bangladesh through this port. Geographically Benapole is a major strategic point for border trading between India and Bangladesh owing to its proximity to Kolkata. According to Land Port Authority, approximately 90 percent of the total imported items from India come through Benapole. Primarily Benapole land port was a Land Customs station and gradually it turned into a Customs Division (1984) and later Custom House (1997) in response to its rising importance as in terms of import volume.
As of 2009, 143 staff including 9 officials and 134 employees are working at the Benapole land port. In fiscal year 1996-97 revenue realized from Benapole land port was around Taka 5 billion, at present it is Taka 8.50 billion.
Benapole land port is also lucrative for Indian exporters for its cheaper service and equipment charges. Indian goods receive duty exemption advantage in this land port. The Indian Government has also decided to give priority to export in Bangladesh through Benapole-Petrapole border. Kolkata, one of the commercial hubs of India, is only 80 kilometers away from the Petrapole-Benapole border and is involved in development in the area.
Benapole had witnessed a rise of imports by 15 – 20 percent each year. It has become a significant revenue generator for the government since late 1980s. However, port facilities remain under-developed as yet. Carrying capacities of the road from Benapole to Jessore is limited not withstanding regular maintenance. A two-member consultant team of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is working to sort out improvement areas in the immigration and customs of the land port and also studying feasibility of Benapole-Petropole border as a corridor of transit in this South Asian region.

## Demographics

Religions in Benapole (2011) :
| Religion | Religion | Percent | Percent |
| Islam | Islam | 97.26% | 97.26% |
| Hinduism | Hinduism | 2.71% | 2.71% |
| Other or not stated | Other or not stated | 0.03% | 0.03% |
As of the 2011 Bangladesh census, Benapole had 8,563 households and a population of 36,524. 7,384 (20.22%) were under 10 years of age. Benapole had an average literacy rate of 56.9%, compared to the national average of 51.8%, and a sex ratio of 977 females per 1000 males.

## Transport

Benapole has excellent transport system in the border point between India and Bangladesh.
By Road the historical Jessore Road pass through the town from Jashore to Kolkata. The road is also part of the Bangladeshi national highways N706, N711 and Asian Highway 1. It will be also the end point of under- construction Bhanga-Benapole Expressway.
By railway, Benapole railway station is just 2 km away from the international passenger terminal at the zero point of the border. Two train from Dhaka to Benapole connects through this station, Benapole Express and Ruposhi Bangla Express. And Betna Commuter and Mongla Commuter connects Khulna and Mongla Port. And all the train from Benapole connects Jashore.
The nearest airport is the Jashore Airport which 42 km away from Benapole.