Export through Akhaura land port begins after 9-day shutdown

Exports through the Akhaura land port in Brahmanbaria have returned to normal after a 9-day shutdown amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"Trucks carrying goods to the Akhaura Land Port started entering india's  Agartala area from Tuesday afternoon," said Akhaura Land Port Importer-Exporter Association General Secretary Md Shafiqul Islam.

Earlier, India announced a ban on imports from June 7 to 12 as six BSF members of Agartala's Integrated Check Post, two customs and immigration officers were found to be Covid-19 positive.

Bangladeshi traders were deprived of exporting goods worth at least Tk1 crore every day due to the suspension of export.

"Although trading was supposed to start from June 13, Indian traders refused to take the goods as Covid-19 test report of some 300 people, including BSF members of Agartala Integrated Check Post and Agartala Land Port were pending," said land port business leader Shafiqul Islam.

He further added, "Later, as everyone's test report came negative, Indian traders started importing products again from Tuesday afternoon."

He also said that 10 truck-loads of edible oil will be exported to Agartala today.

Before the Covid-19 outbreak, hundreds of trucks carrying goods worth several crores used to enter Agartala through Akhaura land port every day.

Because of the outbreak of Covid-19, Indian traders stopped importing goods on March 24 for the first time.