Import - export operations resume at Hili Land Port after 6-day closure
Mahidul Islam Ripon, Dinajpur
Import and export activities have resumed at Dinajpur's Hili land port after six consecutive days of closure following the withdrawal of an indefinite strike called by Indian traders. However, despite the port's closure, the movement of passengers holding passports of the two countries through the Hili immigration checkpost was normal.
Shahinur Islam Mondal, general secretary of the Hili Customs C&F Agents Association, confirmed the matter on Saturday afternoon.
He said that many traders there have been affected by the fact that India's Hili land port has fallen behind in commercial competition with other land ports in West Bengal. Hundreds of traders have become destitute. Due to these reasons, Indian traders have announced to stop import-export activities for an indefinite period.
Later, after receiving the necessary assurances from the Indian administration, the traders withdrew their strike. As a result, import and export of goods between the two countries resumed from 12 noon on Saturday through the Hili land port after a six-day closure.
Trucks carrying goods from Bangladesh are entering India from noon. At the same time, trucks carrying goods from India are entering the Hili land port. After unloading the goods at the port, they are being loaded onto domestic trucks and sent to various destinations in the country.
Meanwhile, OC of Hili Immigration Checkpost Md. Zakaria said that although import-export activities between the two countries were suspended, the movement of passengers holding passports of both countries through Hili Immigration Checkpost was normal. Passenger movement remained normal on Saturday as well.
