Published : 06 Sep 2026, 03:33 AM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:47 AM
The import and export of goods through Dinajpur’s Hili Land Port have resumed as Indian traders have called off an indefinite strike. The resumption of trade has brought relief to importers and exporters in both countries.
After six days, trade operations resumed on Saturday at 12:15pm, with trucks carrying different goods entering Bangladesh from India, said Prince Kumar, customs revenue officer at Hili.
Previously, Indian traders had called for a ban on the import and export of goods at the port from Aug 30 to push for various demands, bringing trade between the countries at the port to a standstill. However, travellers were able to traverse the border as normal.
Bikash Mondal, secretary of the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association of India, said over the phone that the traders had been demanding a resolution to long-standing commercial issues at the Hili port.
They called the strike as the authorities had not taken any steps to resolve these issues, he said.
The strike caught the attention of the West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited Balurghat on Wednesday and directed the district administration to take steps to modernise the Hili Land Port and facilitate bilateral trade.
After that, the South Dinajpur district administration held a meeting with business leaders on Thursday.
Bikash said that during the meeting, the obstacles to exporting goods to Bangladesh, including the infrastructure development of the Hili Land Port, were highlighted by the businessmen.
After fruitful discussions, the district administration gave assurances that the problems would be solved.
In response, the traders decided to call off the strike.
The Indian labour leader said that bilateral trade through the Hili Land Port has resumed once more after being suspended for six days.
Md Nazmul Haque, general secretary of the Hili Land Port Import-Export Group of Bangladesh, said that he received a letter signed by Rajesh Kumar Agarwala Pintu, vice president of the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association of India, on Friday. It mentioned the issue of calling off the strike.
He said that on the first day of the strike lifting, more than 300 trucks carrying goods from India are entering Bangladesh. Import and export operations started after noon. On the other hand, several trucks carrying export goods from Bangladesh are entering India.
Business leaders of the Hili Exporters and Customs Clearing Agents Association of India said that Hili Land Port has lagged behind in many areas in the commercial competition with other land ports in West Bengal.
They say hundreds of traders at the port have become destitute while business is being done freely through other land ports.
They claim there are no administrative problems or obstacles at the other ports, but Hili land Port has substantial administrative rules, regulations, and illegal interference on the export of goods to Bangladesh.
Government departments, including the local administration, were requested to resolve these issues, but no steps were taken.
Due to these issues and their commercial interests, the traders announced a ban on exporting all types of goods to Bangladesh from Aug 30. The import of goods from Bangladesh was also halted.
Parimal Prasad, general secretary and importer of Bogura wholesale market “Raja Bazar”, said that when trade through Hili Land Port was suspended, markets in the northern part of the country were affected. But now, with the resumption of imports and exports, it will return to normal, he said.
