Stone import thru Burimari Land Port suspended

The stone trdae from India and Bhutan through Burimari Land port in Lalmonirhat has been suspended from Saturday as the traders called for a reduction of import cost.

President of the Importer-Exporter Association Abu Raiyan Ashyari Rochi confirmed the suspension, adding that they have made proposals to exporters in Bhutan and India to fix the prices of boulder stones. 

�As we have not received any response from them yet, we have temporarily stopped importing stones from February 1 as per our previous announcement�, he added.

Importers claimed that they have been facing huge losses due to high import costs of boulder stones from India and Bhutan. They also said that the Importers-Exporters Association of the land port had sent a letters to the exporters of India and Bhutan to reduce the cost on January 4 and January 16.

After not receiving any satisfactory response of the letter, the association held a meeting on January 19 where the association decided to fix the cost of stone boulder Torsa at $15 per metric ton and Samsi stone at $14 per metric ton from Bhutan and stone boulder Torsa at $10 per metric ton from India. Otherwise, the association decided to stop import temporarily from February 1.

Burimari Land Port C&F Agent Association President Faruk Hossain said, "We have decided the prices of stone boulders, crushed stone and Bhutanese boulders by holding a meeting of all C&F associations.�

If they do not provide stones at this rate, imports will be stopped and we will search for an alternative way, he added.