Exports from the country's old Bhadrapur port have been zero since last year

The customs of Bhadrapur, which has been known as a trading post during the Rana period since before 2007, is considered to be the oldest in Nepal. But only on August 19, 2075, it was upgraded from minor customs and got the recognition of main customs .

After getting the recognition of the Chief Customs, the physical infrastructure, manpower and jurisdiction of the Bhadrapur Customs Office have increased . However, it is said that the door of export trade has not yet been opened.

As Nepal has upgraded the customs, the Indian checkpoint at Galgalia across the border has not been upgraded. Galgaliya is still operating as a small customs office. It is said that there are no facilities including a warehouse for storing goods and an agent for inspection.

After 2007, Bhadrapur was known as the main point of export of rice, wood and other goods from Nepal to India. After Mechi bridge and highway expansion in Kakadvitta, the business of Bhadrapur has gradually decreased . Arjun Prasad Sitaula, the chief customs officer of the office, said that the Bhadrapur customs office collected 997.7 million revenue during the five years from the financial year 2076/77 to the last year 2080/81.

According to him, in the year 2076/77, 140 million 49 million, in the year 2077/78, 27 million 34 million, in the year 2078/79, 24 million 13 million, in the year 2079/80, 9 million 47 million and in the year 2080/81 24 crore 34 lakh revenue has been recovered . In the current year 2081/82, Bhadrapur Customs has set a target of 33 crore 13 lakh revenue collection .

In the year 2080/81, the office, which had set a target of 127 million revenue, achieved a surprising achievement and collected 243.4 million revenue. In the last five years, 997.77 million revenue was collected from customs duty on imported goods. Customs chief Sitaula admitted that since no Nepali goods have been exported from this customs, the revenue for exports is zero.

A trade port is a place for importing and exporting goods with second and third countries. However, Bhadrapur border has been limited to import goods for Nepal.

Galgaliya border crossing is on the list of low priority customs under Vihar province of India . Galgaliya Customs does not have facilities such as physical infrastructure, warehouse, customs agent etc. According to local businessmen, goods worth more than five lakhs have not been allowed by the Galgaliya customs to bring them to Nepal. Nepalese businessmen are confused because of the rule that goods worth more than five lakhs can be brought to Nepal only after passing through Farvesganj checkpoint.

Bhadrapur Customs Office Chief Sitaula informed that clothes, parts of the tea industry, packing materials, resins used in plywood industry and other chemicals and pesticides used in crops are being imported through this border. President of Jhapa Industry Association Yam Bahadur Shrestha told the customs of the Indian border. If the level is to be upgraded, there is a possibility of opening the way to export Nepali products worth billions of tea, plywood, etc. from Nepal every year, he said.

'We are putting pressure on the Indian side to upgrade the Galgaliya Customs through various means,' President Shrestha said, 'Due to this pressure, there has been news that the Bihar Government of India has upgraded the Galgaliya Customs and provided a customs code . Now we hope to open the doors for export trade soon.'

He said that it is necessary to establish quarantine and other offices after receiving the code from the Indian customs. He said that he has received information that customs agents will be appointed soon at Galgaliya Customs.

Even though it is the old customs of Nepal, trade was affected due to lack of bridge on Mechi River in the past. In the year 2076, a concrete bridge has been built on the Mechi river. After the announcement of the main customs by upgrading the minor customs on Nepal side, the manpower in the customs has been increased to 20 people .

There are five small customs under Bhadrapur Customs Office namely Pathamari, Gherabari, Panthapada, Kechna and Kumarkhod. Apart from Kumarkhod, other small customs activities have stopped.