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Stone, coal import suspension from India makes labourers workless 

Published : Sunday, 15 September, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 170
M Suruzzaman
NALITABARI, SHERPUR, Sept 14: Import suspension of stone, coal, and other items from India through Nakugaon Land Port in Nalitabari Upazila of the district have turned thousands of labourers workless.

Traders are also suffering. They are counting losses due to import of low-quality stones from Bhutan at higher costs. The government is losing huge revenue.

When coal and stone would be imported from India, there was a vibrant working  activities at the  land port.

Then over 100 coal and stone-laden trucks would come from India and Bhutan daily. At present, 4-5 trucks are coming with stones from Bhutan.  

Now a lifeless environment is prevailing at the port.

Traders said, in the last year, the Revenue department in the district verbally instructed loading six metric tonnes (mt) of excess goods than the volume as fixed by India; that is why traders cannot import products from India.

So, in the beginning of the last financial year imports of all items from India were suspended, they added. 

Earlier, a six-wheel truck would load 9mt of goods, followed by 15mt by 10-wheel truck and 19mt by 12-wheel truck and 24mt by 14-wheel truck. 

But Indian traders did not give extra items, and the imports of approved items became suspended. 

In a compelling situation, traders are importing low0quality stones at extra costs from Bhutan. They are counting losses.

Sujan Mia, general secretary of Load Unload Shramik Union at Nakugaon, said, there are about 3,500 load and unload labourers at the port; due to import suspension with India, they are now workless.

They are not getting stone crushing work, he added.

Labourers demanded starting imports of coal, stone, betel nut, fruits and fly ash from India at the government initiative.

Mostafizur Rahman Mukul, president of Nakugaon Land Port Import-Export Association, said, imports of coal and stone from India are suspended.

Only 4/5 trucks of stone are imported from Bhutan, he added.

He further said, only 100-150 labourers are getting works while others are sitting workless.

Land Customs Officer (LCO) of the port Kysar Mohiuddin said, now only stone is coming from Bhutan through the land port but very thinly.

He could not say why traders are not importing Indian stones. They can import other approved items, he added.

According to the land port sources, in 2021-'22 financial year (FY), the revenue collection from Nakugaon Land Port was about Tk 7.5 crore while it was about Tk  5.75 crore in FY-2022-'23.

In the FY-2023-'24 the revenue collection was Tk 71 lakh.

Activities of Nakugaon Land Port in the upazila started in 1997. But imports of 19 products except only coal and stone were suspended in 2002. 

Later on in 2009 the land port was promoted to a full-fledged one. But it started functioning since 2015.

At present, only stone is imported from India though 21 items are supposed to be imported through the land port.

According to authoritative sources, the government needs combined initiative with businessmen for importing all these items. 



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