12 land ports yet to open despite huge prospects

7 port work in progress, one stopped
4 land ports awaiting inauguration
6 land ports running through BOT

Mahfuja Mukul: Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA) was established in 2001. This autonomous institution is under the Ministry of Shipping. This organization is working to make import-export trade activities easier and better with neighboring countries by land. A total of 24 land customs stations have been declared as ‘land ports’ under BLPA. Out of which 12 have been completed and are operational. The activities of seven ports are being conducted under the management of the organization.
Other 12 ports do not have the necessary infrastructure but operations are ongoing at some places. Four of them are 100% complete. Can be inaugurated at any time. Besides, two more land ports are proposed.
Currently 12 ports are working. Under the supervision of – ChiknaSindaukleSheolaMakhak Bandar, Jamalakshiganj Ruling Bandar Kamalpur, Gobrakura and KatiraKatma Port in Haluaghat Darshan of Mymensingh, BiloniaChura Port in Nilini, Ramgarh Port, Chur Bandar, Ramagarh Bandar, Ranga Bandar, Ramagarh Bandar Sylhet Bholaganj District port
22 Acre Algae Land Port
Sheola land port is located on Konagram border of Dubag union in Biyanibazarupazila of Sylhet. Opposite this is Sutarkandi border of Karimganj district of Assam state, India. Shewola customs station was declared a land port on June 30, 2015 to facilitate import-export operations. Before going to Biyanibazar from Sylhet city, cross Sheola Bridge and Dubag Point. The land port is located at a distance of about four kilometers to the east from this place.
Construction status
The development work of Sheola land port is ongoing under the Bangladesh Regional Connectivity Project-1 jointly funded by the World Bank and the government. On April 18, 2020, the contract was signed with the contractor for the construction work. Acquisition of 22.2 acres of land for Sheola land port under the project is under process. Import and export activities are going on through this customs station.
Products to be imported and exported
Livestock, fish fry, fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stones (stones and boulders), coal, chemical fertilizers, china clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, quartz, flowers etc. All products can be exported through this land port.
DhanuaKamalpur land port
Infrastructure construction work is going on at DhanuaKamalpur land port. This port is located on the DhanuaKamalpur border of Bakshiganjupazila in Jamalpur. Opposite this is the border of AmpatiMahakumarMahendraganj in Meghalaya state of India. DhanuaKamalpur customs station was declared land port on 21 May 2015 to facilitate import-export operations by land. The distance from Dhaka to BakshiganjUpazilaSadar is about 218 km.
Infrastructure construction not start
The project titled ‘DhanuaKamalpur Land Port Development’ has been approved. The acquisition of 15.80 acres of land under this project has also been completed. In the meantime, construction work orders for two packages have been given under the project. Tenders have been invited for the remaining packages. However, when the contractor started the work, the landowners stopped the work by alleging that the price was low. As a result, it has not been possible to start the construction of the infrastructure of the port.
Products that can be imported
Livestock, fish fry, fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stones (stones and boulders), coal, chemical fertilizers, china clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, ballclay, quartz and betel nut. Various products and services including plastic are being exported to India through this land port.
Gobrakura-Karaitli port after work
Meghalaya’s waterfalls are covered with green hills and come down to Gobrakura and Karaitli rivers in Haluaghat, Mymensingh. Gobrakura and Karaitli land ports are being built next to this river. Haluaghatupazila headquarter is five kilometers away from Gobrakura on one side and Kardaitli land port is six kilometers away on the other side. Two land ports at a cost of Tk 67 crore have been fully completed.
Earlier, coal was imported through this land port. It is currently closed. The project named ‘Gobrakura-Kadhaitli Land Port Development’ was implemented to expand trade with neighboring countries, establish communication and assist the National Board of Revenue in collection of government revenue. If fully operational, in the near future, people will be able to cross through the Karaitli port and goods through the Gobrakura port.
Gandhinagar Gachuapara customs station is located in Tora district of Meghalaya state, across from Karaitli-Gobrakura (Indian part). In other words, Kardaitli-Gobrakura will be connected with that station. If the two ports become operational, not only coal but also various products will be exported to India. Exporters of Bangladesh can send products to Indian states of Meghalaya and Assam and Bhutan and Nepal. Gobrakura and Karaitli land ports will then be one of the gateways to the North-East export market.
Under the project, the construction of warehouse, parking yard, office building, Weybridge scale, dormitory building, barrack building for security guards has been completely completed in two land ports. This work was completed in June 2022. The distance of these two land ports from Dhaka is 180 km, which is the shortest.
Plastic-food export route
Feni’sBilonia land port is built on 10 acres of land. The work of this port is 100% completed. The Bilonia land port is now awaiting inauguration. Two-way trade will be started through this port. It has been built at a cost of 39 crores. All the infrastructure including open stack yard, parking yard, warehouse, three-storey office building was constructed on 10 acres of land. Now just waiting for the launch.
It was already functioning as a customs station. If the land port is opened, the export of plastic products, juices, various types of beverages to India will increase. Bricks, stones, cement, rods, are exported to India. On the other hand, although the import of fish fry, fresh fruits, wood, seeds, coal, wheat, limestone, onion, pepper, turmeric and ginger from India is allowed, only one-way trade has been going on for a long time.
Due to the lack of necessary infrastructure, traders faced various obstacles in the export-import of goods. But that familiar problem will no longer exist. Freight trucks will no longer be on the road, but in parking yards. Drivers will get rest facilities with toilets. An average of 30-40 trucks are loaded and unloaded every day. Due to various reasons including infrastructural problems, trucks are stuck at the Bilonia border for a long time. But after the inauguration that problem will be resolved.
Ramgarh new gateway
Ramgarh land port awaiting inauguration. Immigration will start here. As a result, people can also travel. You can go to India for advanced treatment through this land port at low cost. Export-import of goods between the two countries will also increase. If the Ramgarh land port is fully operational, the people of the two countries will benefit in the fields of trade, commerce, higher education and culture.
In the meantime, construction of port terminal, roads, warehouses, checkposts, customs and land acquisition for BGB in 10 acres around the land port has been completed.
Through this land port, which is 112 km from Chittagong port, the transshipment goods will reach Sabrum in Tripura, India in just three hours. On June 6, 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Bridge-1 on Feni River at Ramgarh land port during their visit to Dhaka.
Railway route Darshana
Darshana land port is located on the Darshana border of Damurhudaupazila of Chuadanga. Opposite is the Gede border of Krishnanagar in West Bengal, India. Darshana customs station was declared a land port in 2002 to facilitate import-export operations by land. Distance from Dhaka to Chuadanga district headquarters is about 238 km. The distance from Chuadanga district headquarters to the land port is about 20 km.
Darshana Port has a good communication system with Dhaka and other parts of the country by road and railway. The authorized manpower at the land port is eight. Darshana customs station has been declared as railway route. But there is no land route at this place. In order to open Darshana land port it is necessary to declare railway route as well as land route. A request has been made to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) through the Ministry of Shipping.
Importable goods
Livestock, fish fry, fresh fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stones (stones and boulders) coal, chemical fertilizers, china clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, bulk clay, quartz, rice, Husk, maize, different types of hay, poultry feed, fly ash, railway sleepers, building stone, road stone, sand stone, different types of clay, granulated slag and gypsum.
Daulatganj land port
This land port is located on the Daulatganj border of Jibannagarupazila of Chuadanga. Opposite it is the border of Majdia in Nadia district of West Bengal, India. Daulatganj customs station was declared land port in 2013. The distance from Dhaka to JibannagarUpazilaSadar is about 249 km. The distance from Jibannagarupazila headquarters to Daulatganj land port is about seven kilometers. There is an advanced communication system with this land port to various places of the country including Dhaka by road.
Current status
Development activities of Daulatganj land port were not possible due to lack of customs station activities on both sides of Bangladesh and India. The Ministry of External Affairs and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been requested through the Ministry of Shipping to agree to the revival of their customs stations along with necessary infrastructure development on the Indian side.
Importable goods Livestock, fish fry, fresh fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stones (stones and boulders) coal, chemical fertilizers, china clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, bulk clay, quartz.
Tegamukh Land Port
This port is located on the Tegamukh border of Barkalupazila of Rangamati. Opposite Mizoram Cowapuchiya border with India. It was declared a land port in 2013. The distance from Dhaka to Rangamati district headquarters is about 296 km. The distance from Rangamati district headquarters to Tegamukh land port is about 150 km. Due to non-approval of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council for the development of Tegamukh land port, the land port establishment activities are stopped.
Importable goods
Cattle, fish fry, fresh fruits, plants, seeds, wheat, stone, coal, chemical fertilizers, china clay, wood, timber, limestone, onion, pepper, garlic, ginger etc.
Chilahati Land Port
This port is located on the Chilahati border of DomarUpazila of Nilphamari District. Opposite is Haldibari border in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India. Chilahati customs station was declared a land port in 2013. The distance from Dhaka to Nilphamari district headquarters is about 341 km. The distance from Nilphamari district headquarters to Chilahati border is about 47 km. Chilahati Bazar is well connected to other parts of the country by rail and road.
Current status
Although Chilahati customs station was declared a land port, it was not possible to open the land port as there is no customs station in any part of Bangladesh-India. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has been requested to agree to the Indian authorities for the construction of Haldibari, a customs station on the Indian side opposite Chilahati, in order to operationalize the port.
Bholaganj land port
KalasadhakMouja is located in Bholaganj village of Companiganjupazila of Sylhet district. Opposite this is the border of Bholaganj in Cherrapunji subdivision of East Khasi Pahari district of Meghalaya state, India. Bholaganj customs station was declared land port in 2011 with the aim of facilitating import-export operations by land.
The distance from Dhaka to Bholaganj land port is about 300 km. Road connectivity from Dhaka to other parts of the country is good.
Two more proposed land ports
Proposed Pragpur land port Daulatpurupazilas of Kushtia district are located on Pragpur border. Opposite this is Shikarpur border of Karimpur police station in Nadia district of West Bengal, India. Distance from Dhaka to DaulatpurUpazilaSadar is about 218 km. The distance from Daulatpurupazila headquarters to Pragpur land port is about 17 km.
It has not yet been declared a land port as there is no functioning customs station in any part of Bangladesh-India. However, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of External Affairs and National Board of Revenue (NBR) have been requested to launch Pragpur customs station and declare the customs station to the Indian authorities on their part.
Another proposed land port is located at Mujibnagar. It is located on the Mujibnagar border of Meherpur district. In contrast to this is the Hridaypur border under Chapra police station in Nadia district of West Bengal, India. The distance from Dhaka to Meherpur district headquarters is about 289 kilometers. The distance from Meherpur district headquarters to Mujibnagar is about 25 km. Mujibnagar customs station has not yet been declared a land port as there are no customs station operations in any part of Bangladesh-India.
12 land ports operational
Benapole in Jessore, Burimari in Lalmonirhat, Akhaura in Brahmanbaria, Bhomra in Satkhira, Nakugaon in Sherpur, Bhurungamari in Kurigram and Darshana Landport in Chuadanga are running under the supervision of Bangladesh Landport Authority. Besides, Sonamsjid in Chapainawabganj, Hili in Dinajpur, Banglabandha in Panchagarh, Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Birol in Dinajpur and Bibirbazar in Comilla are operational through BOT.
Bangladesh Land Port Authority Executive Engineer (ongoing duty) Md. Aminul Islam told that 24 customs stations have been declared as land ports for the expansion of land trade with neighboring countries. 12 of them are in full phase. There is also the necessary infrastructure. The infrastructure of 12 other land ports is being developed. Four of them have been completed. Two more land ports are proposed.