Hili land port to resume import-export activities after five-day halt

Import-export activities through the Hili land port are expected to resume on Saturday (September 5) after a five-day suspension triggered by a strike by Indian traders.

Indian exporters stopped all exports to Bangladesh through the port on August 30, citing various barriers to trade, administrative complications and infrastructure problems at the port.

Imports from Bangladesh were also suspended during the period, bringing cross-border trade at Hili to a virtual standstill.

The strike was called off on Thursday after Indian traders held several rounds of talks with officials of South Dinajpur district administration in Balurghat.

The meetings focused on infrastructure shortcomings, obstacles to sending goods to Bangladesh and other administrative issues raised by the traders.

Bikash Mondal, secretary of the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association in India, said traders decided to withdraw the indefinite strike after receiving assurances from the district administration that the issues would be addressed.

As Friday is a weekly holiday in Bangladesh, port operations will resume from Saturday, he said.

Mondal said traders had also raised demands for modernising the Hili land port, easing bilateral trade and removing existing barriers during an administrative meeting held during the West Bengal chief minister’s recent visit to Balurghat.

The district administration was later instructed to review the issues and take prompt action, he said.

Shahinur Islam Mondal, general secretary of the Bangladesh Hili Customs C&F Agents Association, said they were aware of the meeting between Indian traders and the district administration but had not yet received any official details about the decisions taken.

He said the Indian traders’ demands were justified, noting that prolonged trade barriers and other complications had significantly reduced business through the Hili land port.

Unless the existing problems are addressed, traders on both sides of the border could face further losses, he added.