Indian traders have announced an indefinite suspension of all import and export activities through the Hili land port from Sunday, August 30, citing difficulties in competing with other land ports in West Bengal.
The decision was conveyed to the Banglahili C&F Agents Association in Bangladesh through a letter signed by Bikash Chandra Mondal, general secretary of an Indian exporters’ organisation, on Saturday evening.
Parvez Ahmed, customs officer at Hili land port, confirmed that the authorities had received such a letter from Indian traders.
Mohammad Nazmul Hossain, general secretary of the Hili Land Port Import-Exporters Group, said Indian traders had informed them that Hili was falling behind other land ports in West Bengal in terms of commercial competition.
He said traders at the Indian side were concerned about the situation and had therefore decided to suspend exports to Bangladesh and imports from Bangladesh until the problems at the port are resolved.
Bikash Mondal, secretary of the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association, also confirmed the decision during a phone conversation on Saturday night.
“We have jointly discussed the matter and taken the decision,” he said, adding that other land ports in West Bengal offer better facilities and opportunities, while traders operating through Hili face various difficulties.
He said the suspension would remain in effect indefinitely unless their business interests were protected and the existing problems were resolved.
However, the suspension will not affect passenger movement through the Hili immigration checkpoint.
Mohammad Zakaria, officer-in-charge of the Hili Immigration Checkpost, said passengers with valid passports and visas would continue to be able to travel between Bangladesh and India through the checkpoint, whose operations remain normal.
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