Trade halted at four land ports in Sylhet due to protests

Import and export activities at three land ports in Sylhet have been halted due to protests by Indian protesters while objections from Bangladeshi traders have also led to the suspension of imports through the Tamabil land port, leaving these ports and customs in stagnation.

Demonstrations by a group named Sanatani Oikya Mancha in Sribhoomi of Assam resulted in the closure of trade at Sylhet's Sheola land port in Beanibazar on Sunday and at the Zakiganj customs on Monday.

Earlier, protests by Indian protesters had caused a suspension of import-export activities at the Chatlapur customs of Kulaura upazila in Moulvibazar since November 30.

Separately, Bangladeshi traders have halted the import of stone and limestone through the Tamabil land port due to disputes over customs weighing procedures.

On Sunday, hundreds of protesters gathered at Sutarkandi land port in India's Sribhoomi, Assam, in protest against allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh and the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former Iskcon leader. The protests escalated into blockades, disrupting trade through the Sutarkandi land port.

A similar situation unfolded at India's Karimganj customs on Monday, leading to the suspension of trade activities there as well.

This series of disruptions has left Sylhet's key customs and land ports inoperative, affecting both imports and exports in the region.

Meanwhile, traders have halted the import of stone and limestone from India's Dawki land port (Tamabil in Bangladesh) since mid-last month due to complications related to weight measurements.

Importers alleged that stones brought through Tamabil and Sheola land ports from India are loaded directly onto trucks at mines, resulting in the inclusion of soil and sand. Previously, customs officials would deduct the weight of soil and sand when determining the net weight of the stones for duty calculations. However, new officials at the land ports have discontinued this practice, causing significant losses for traders.

Citing stricter weight measurement practices at weighbridges, traders said that continuing imports under the current conditions would result in a loss of at least Tk10,000 per truck. Despite discussions with custom authorities, no resolution has been reached.

Elias Uddin Lipu, general secretary of the Tamabil Coal, Stone, and Limestone Importers Association, said, "We have halted stone imports due to weight measurement disputes. Despite investing large sums, we are incurring losses in importing stones."

He added, "With imports halted, hundreds of coal- and stone-laden trucks are lined up on the Indian side. Exporters are now demanding compensation for the delays in unloading their trucks."

Tanvir Hossain, revenue officer at Tamabil customs, said, "Our operations are running as usual. The situation has arisen because traders have stopped importing stones. We have informed higher authorities about the matter."

Md Mostafizur Rahman, assistant director at Tamabil land port, said, "Traders have halted coal and stone imports due to fears of incurring losses. We have informed higher authorities about the issues faced by coal and stone traders, and appropriate measures will be taken by them."

Regarding the suspension of import-export activities at other border points due to Indian protests, 

Atiq Hossain, president of the Sylhet Stone Importers Association, said, "All import and export activities through India's Sutarkandi and Karimganj borders have been halted due to the Iskcon-related issue. No goods-laden vehicles can cross from India to Bangladesh or vice versa because of the Indian blockade."

He further said, "As of Tuesday, at least 200 trucks carrying stones and other goods are stranded at Sutarkandi in India, while over 50 trucks are stuck at the Sheola customs in Bangladesh. Additionally, more than 50 trucks carrying fruits and raw materials are stranded at Karimganj on the Indian side of the Zakiganj border. Perishable goods, including fruits, are at risk of spoiling due to the delay in unloading."

Importers have reported severe losses due to the stranded goods at the border. They are also bearing daily interest on bank loans. Moreover, the suspension of stone and limestone imports has left thousands of workers at unloading sites and stone-crushing mills jobless.

Abdullah Al Mamun, revenue officer at the Sheola land port, said, "This port primarily handles coal and stone imports and exports items such as consumer goods and cement. However, import-export activities have been suspended for three days due to issues on the Indian border."

Md Arif Uddin, revenue officer at Zakiganj customs, said, "This station mainly handles the import of fruits, particularly oranges. However, no goods have been imported since Monday."