Benapole (Jashore) Correspondent

Export-import between India and Bangladesh through Sheola, Zakiganj and Tamabil land ports in Sylhet remained suspended since Sunday amid tensions between the two neighboring counties over the arrest and bail denial to former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Goods-laden trucks have been stranded on both sides due to the trade suspension, causing losses to traders.

Sources at Zakiganj Customs Station said trade activities through Zakiganj land port remained halted since Sunday following demonstrations in India over the arrest of Chinmoy.

On December 1, several hundred supporters of Chinmoy gathered at Sutarkandi Customs Station in India’s Karimganj following the arrest of the Hindu priest, disrupting trade activities at Zakiganj land port.

Besides, trade was disrupted at Sutarkandi and Sheola land ports over the same issue.

Atik Hussain, a former director of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the ISKCON-related unrest led to the suspension of export-import at Sutarkandi and Karimganj land ports in India.

"No goods-laden vehicles could enter Bangladesh from India since the protests began," he added.
As of Tuesday, around 200 goods-laden trucks were stranded at Sutarkandi land port in India, while another 50 remained stuck at Sheola land port in Bangladesh.

Trucks carrying fruits and raw materials were also stranded at Karimganj land port, raising concerns about potential damage to perishable goods.

Besides, trade activities through Tamabil land port in Sylhet, remained halted for several days following dispute in the measurement of stone and limestone products at the Dawki border in India.

Over 300 trucks carrying stones and limestone remained stranded at Dawki land port in India, opposite to Tamabil Land Port, he said.

UNB Benapole correspondent reports: the trade activities between Bangladesh and India are going on in the full swing.

A total of 418 goods-laden trucks entered Bangladesh through Benapole port on Tuesday while 189 goods-laden trucks left for India through the land port.

Besides, the passenger movement between the two countries through the land port also remained uninterrupted as some 1,800 passengers went to India on Wednesday.

In Feni, some students and local people staged demonstrations at Bilonia land port in Parshuram upazila around 11 am on Wednesday protesting the attack on the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala of Tripura and ‘provocative statements’ made against Bangladesh over loudspeakers in the bordering area on Sunday.

Additional police and Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed in the area on Wednesday to maintain law and order.

On November 26, Chattogram Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate Judge Kazi Shariful Islam sent Chinmoy Das to jail rejecting his bail plea in a sedition case.

Violence erupted on the court premises amid demonstrations by ISKCON supporters against the bail denial, leaving lawyer Saiful Islam Alif dead.

Meanwhile, BGB stepped up vigil along the border to thwart any evil activities and unwanted situations along the bordering area amid growing tension over ex-ISKCON leader issue and attack on Bangladesh diplomatic mission in India’s Agartala.