This compound inside Hili land port sometimes remains empty as traders usually bring in duty-free food items and stone through the port since it lacks the infrastructure for other heavy goods. The picture was taken recently. Photo: Kongkon Karmaker

Hili land port in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur provides ample opportunity to facilitate cross-border trade between Bangladesh and India but its potential remains largely untapped even though both governments have taken a number of initiatives to this end.

Although export-import activities through Hili have risen in recent years, traders say this is mainly due to higher imports of duty-free food items as the port lacks many amenities while the existing infrastructure is suffering from neglect.

Imports through Hili land oort rose by about 17 per cent year-on-year to 21.23 lakh tonnes in fiscal 2020-21 while exports grew by around 23 per cent to 0.27 lakh tonnes at the same time, according to data from the Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA).

Having been declared a land port back in January 2002, Hili was established to facilitate cross-border trade after Bangladesh and India took the initiative considering its vast potential in this regard.

The port is about 71 kilometres (km) away from Dinajpur headquarters and 264 km away from Dhaka.

On the Indian side, the distance between Hili and Kolkata is some 472 km but Indian Railways has already connected Balurghat with the country's railway network.

Besides, the state-owned rail transport company plans to include Hili under its network since residents of the area have long been clamouring for such services.

In 2005, the BLPA signed a deal with Panama Hili Port Link Limited to develop and maintain the required infrastructure.

However, the port did not start its journey under the private operator until two years later, when the entire complex took up just 10 acres of land.

Since then, the area has been extended to 22 acres with port officials claiming that it is now capable of handling 2,000 tonnes of import goods each day.

On the other hand, officials of the Hili Land Port Importer-Exporter Group say the roughly 200 traders involved in cross-border trade through Hili mostly use multiple land ports for their activities despite it being costlier and time-consuming.

Many items could be imported from India through Hili but the customs authorities encourage bringing in duty-free food items like onions, rice, green chillies, wheat, spices and more, traders said.

Hili is also used for importing hard rock from the neighbouring nation but the port was used to import other heavy items, such as excavators and mixing drums, for the first time over the last six months.

Still though, other potential import items like spare parts for automobiles, thread and fabrics are not brought through the port despite the high demand for these goods in Bangladesh, they added.

Shahinur Islam, an importer of Hili, said he uses multiple land ports to import goods from India.

For example, he uses the Benapole land port for importing spare parts of Indian automobiles as Hili land port is not equipped to handle such items.

"But it is really risky to take shipments back to Hili after importing them through Benapole," he added.

Traders say a solution to this problem could be posting a customs commiserate in Hili as there are many goods that cannot be handled with the port's existing resources.

Meanwhile, there are problems on the Indian side too, they alleged.

For example, there are quarantine stations nearby to process the perishable goods to be imported by Bangladesh and so, traders need to travel at least 150 km to Malda in India for this purpose.

This issue was raised various times during bilateral discussions but to no end.

Reza Humayun Kabir Shamin, president of the Dinajpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said he too raised the issue with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami during his visit to the country in November last year.

Traders went on to say the port compound area on the Indian side of Hili is not as large as required.

Amirul Islam, a clearing and forwarding agent of Hili land port, said the private port operator lacks the capacity to handle some heavy imported items.

He then demanded a smooth approach road between the entry port and Panama Hili Port Link Limited.

Traders say only locals of North Dinajpur in India are currently involved in import-export activities through Hili land port.

However, if traders of other Indian states are encouraged to use it for bilateral trade as well, then it could be a solution to the existing problem, they said.

Harun Ur Rashid, president of the Hili Land Port Importer-Exporter Group, admitted that trade through the port now mostly relies on duty-free imports as traders are more interested to import their non-duty-free items through other ports for various reasons.

"Hili land port could be a major source of revenue if all existing facilities are utilised but that is not happening due to the operator's indifference," he said.

"So, the government is being deprived of its due revenue from Hili Land Port while the operator is making brisk business," Rashid added.

Under the existing deal, the government holds a majority stake in the port with 51 per cent, of which the operator was given a 49 per cent share.

Rashid, also chairman of Hakimpur upazila parishad, demanded the government do more to utilise Hili land port.

Shibli Sadiq, a local lawmaker, recently gave a speech in parliament regarding the various mismanagement issues of the Hili port operator.

This correspondent tried to reach Md Kamrul Islam, joint commissioner of customs in Hili, for comment but he did not respond by the time this report was filed.

Dulal Chakraborty, operations manager of Panama Hili Land Port Limited, claimed they are fully capable of dealing with any import item and are providing better services than ever before.

Hili is already connected with the metre and broad-gauge rail line of the Bangladesh Railway and there is a fully functional railway station as well but the port enjoys limited connectivity due to widespread allegations of smuggling.



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