Traders are not getting the desired benefits in imports and exports through Nakugaon land port in Sherpur. An agreement was made with India to import 21 products through this land port from India. But even after 10 long years, India has not implemented this agreement. As a result, despite the potential, the land port has not seen the light of day. This is causing the purpose for which the land port was established to be frustrated.
It is learnt that in 1996, in order to expand the India-Bangladesh commercial agreement and to facilitate imports and exports, a customs station was first established at Nakugaon in Nalitabari upazila on the Sherpur border, and operations began. According to the port authorities, in 2015, in order to expand the operations of the customs station, the government undertook the work of establishing a full-fledged land port from the customs station. Infrastructure was built on 13.5 acres of land at a cost of 16 crore taka. The Roads and Highways Department also constructed a 29.5-kilometer road from Nakugaon to Nokla upazila at a cost of 239 crore taka.
According to relevant sources, this land port obtained permission to import 21 products from India. Local traders and land port sources said that although 21 products were supposed to be imported through this land port, only coal and stone are being imported, and even then, only a small amount of stone is being imported. This has caused the land port’s operations to stagnate. Around 5,000 workers have become unemployed. On the other hand, importers have fallen into trouble after opening letters of credit worth crores of taka.
When speaking with traders, it was learned that the products which could be easily imported profitably through this land port are not being given import permission. On the other side of the port is the Indian state of Meghalaya. The goods that could be imported through the Nakugaon land port from there include livestock, fish fry, fresh fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stone, coal, chemical fertilizers, China clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, chili, garlic, ginger, ball clay, and quartz. Although these products were supposed to be imported, only stones are being imported from India and Bhutan.
Laborer Azizul Haque at the land port said that earlier both stone and coal used to come through this port, but now only a small amount of stone is imported. As a result, almost 5,000 worker families in the land port are living in distress. Nakugaon Land Port Import-Export Association President Mostafizur Rahman said that if all 21 approved products were imported through this port, including those under the labor union branch and men and women in the surrounding areas, it would create employment opportunities for around 5,000 workers. On one hand, the government would receive a large amount of revenue every year, and on the other, hundreds of local workers would have job opportunities.
Nakugaon Land Port Assistant Director (Traffic) Md. Zahidul Islam confirmed the truth of the matter, saying that at present only a small amount of stone is being imported, some of which comes from Bhutan. He said India is not allowing imports of the other 20 products. If India permits these goods, employment opportunities for workers at Nakugaon land port will be created, government revenue collection will increase, and the vibrancy of the Nakugaon land port area will return.
