Panchagarh Correspondent
Despite being established 28 years ago to facilitate four-country trade, Banglabandha Land Port in Tetulia upazila of Panchagarh has failed to see significant expansion in business and trade due to high transportation costs.
The foundation stone of the land port was laid in 1997 with the aim of expanding trade with Nepal, Bhutan, China and India through the Banglabandha border. Since then, limited import and export activities have been taking place with India, Nepal and Bhutan. Full-fledged immigration services were introduced in 2018.
Although the port is authorised to handle a wide range of goods, traders mainly import stone from India and Bhutan and limited quantities of masur dal from Nepal. No trade with China has yet started.
Local traders and C&F agents said all authorised goods can be imported through the port, but high transportation costs have discouraged importers from using Banglabandha for a wider range of products. As a result, the port's trade has remained largely dependent on stone imports.
Bangladesh exports products such as ceramics, cotton, jute, glass and juice through the port. However, many importers prefer Hili, Sonamasjid and Burimari land ports for importing other authorised goods because of lower transportation costs.
Stone imports from India have also declined following the political change in Bangladesh on 5 August 2024 and the formation of a BJP-led government in India after the Lok Sabha election. At present, stone imports from India are completely suspended, while imports continue from Bhutan.
Sohel, a loading and unloading worker at Banglabandha Land Port, said port activities had declined because all types of goods were not being imported.
“If all types of goods are imported, government revenue will increase and employment opportunities for us will also grow,” he said.
Motor transport worker Bashir Jamal also expressed similar views.
C&F agents Nur Islam and Mehedi said traders were reluctant to import and export all authorised goods through the port because of high transportation costs.
“If all types of goods are traded through the port, business will expand and the local economy will develop faster,” they said.
Importer Musa said traders were avoiding the port because transportation costs were higher than those at other ports. He said expanding road and rail connectivity with other parts of the country could increase the volume of trade.
Banglabandha Land Port Manager Abul Kalam Azad said between 100 and 150 trucks of goods were currently involved in import-export activities through the port every day.
“Stone imports from India are currently suspended, while imports continue only from Bhutan. If all authorised goods are imported and exported, trade will expand and government revenue will also increase,” he said.
Panchagarh Chamber of Commerce director and Tetulia upazila BNP president Md Shahadat Hossain Ranjoo said Banglabandha had close road connectivity with Nepal, India, Bhutan and China, creating significant potential for four-country trade.
However, he said high transportation costs were discouraging traders from importing and exporting all types of goods through the port.
“If Banglabandha Land Port is connected by rail with other district towns for transporting goods, the problem faced by traders will be reduced and four-country trade through the port will expand,” he said.
He urged the Ministry of Railways to take immediate steps to establish rail connectivity with the port.#SAS
