Trade between India and Bangladesh through two land ports—Jashore’s Benapole and Hili of Dinajpur will be suspended for eight consecutive days in observance of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslim people.
According to the authorities, passport-holding travellers will be able to cross the border through immigration checkpoints as usual. Additionally, except for government holidays, all other port and customs activities will remain operational,
An official letter signed by Mukitul Islam, the Second Secretary (Customs Policy) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), confirmed it. The letter initially mentioned a nine-day closure for customs and port operations (excluding Eid day), it also provided instructions to keep import-export activities running in a limited capacity on government and weekly holidays.
While this directive is being implemented at Chattogram Customs House, it is not followed at Benapole and other customs houses and duty stations. At these locations, port users typically go on holiday, leading to a complete shutdown of operations.
Benapole C&F Agents Association General Secretary Emdadul Haque Lata said that activities related to import-export basically would cease from the afternoon of March 27. Customs and port officials will leave for their hometowns to celebrate Eid, and many importers will travel to their villages with their families.
Similarly, Hili Land Port Importers and Exporters Group notified the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association of India through an official letter signed by its General Secretary, Nazmul Haque. The letter stated that trade between the two countries would resume on April 6 after the Eid holidays.
Mamun Kabir Torofdar, Deputy Director (Traffic) of Benapole Port, assured that security measures had been intensified to prevent any untoward incidents at the port.
He said, the port’s own security force and Ansar personnel will patrol the area day and night, and Benapole Port Police Station has also been informed.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Benapole Port Police Station, Russell Mia, said that special surveillance had been arranged in the port area. Police personnel will patrol alongside the port’s security forces.
Meanwhile, Imtiaz Mohammad Ahsanul Kader Bhuiyan, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Benapole Check post Immigration, mentioned that passport-holding passengers can travel as usual. Unlike previous years, when thousands of travellers visited India during Eid holidays, there is no significant pressure this year.