Trade operations via the Hili land port situated in Dinajpur have been halted indefinitely following the initiation of an industrial action by Indian exporters and clearing and forwarding agents on Sunday morning to advocate for their claims.

Members affiliated with the Hili Exporters and C&F Agents Association in India are petitioning for identical provisions concerning commodity shipments into Bangladesh to be established at Hili, mirroring the perks accessible across alternative West Bengal border checkpoints such as Sonamasjid.

The Indian merchants claimed that the Hili land port features a substantially narrower catalog of permissible merchandise authorized for inbound and outbound trade relative to alternative India-Bangladesh frontier terminals.

They asserted that these limitations place Hili operators at an economic disadvantage while generating monetary deficits.

They are pursuing parity alongside an expanded selection of commodities for commerce routed through the Hili land port.

The Indian exporters' collective communicated regarding the work stoppage to the Banglahili C&F Agents Association based in Bangladesh via official correspondence endorsed by its general secretary, Bikash Chandra Mondal.

As outlined in the missive, Indian dealers encounter diverse manifestations of disparity when dispatching freight through Hili relative to alternative customs stations within West Bengal. Consequently, outbound shipments through Hili have contracted severely, the document indicated.

The association noted it has resolved to pause all commercial exchange via the installation pending the realization of an enduring resolution to these challenges.

Shakhawat Hossain Shilpi, head of the Hili Land Port Importers and Exporters Group, confirmed that the Indian merchant body communicated regarding the strike through written notification.

Concurrently, domestic buyers expressed apprehension over prospective fiscal setbacks as transport vehicles carrying provisions—including wheat, maize, bran, legumes, and diminutive aggregates procured through letters of credit—remain marooned on the Indian territory.

They worry that an extended freeze on commercial activity might trigger substantial deficits, notably for purchasers whose shipments are currently en route.

With Inputs from UNB