Int'l trade through Hili border stalled due to importer-exporter tussle

BALURGHAT: International trade through Hili border has stalled from Monday for an indefinite period, following the ongoing tussle between Hili exporters association and Bangladeshi importers association, as the exporters had stopped exporting stones due to some internal conflict. Following this the Bangladeshi importers have taken the decision of not receiving any exporting material from India unless it resumes stone export.

Both the conflicting groups have blamed each other for the unwanted stalemate and have appealed to both Bangladeshi and Indian administrations for immediate intervention to solve the dispute through bilateral talks.

Sources said stone export has stopped since September 23, as a group of exporters alleged of incongruities while exporting the same.

"Around 350 to 400 lorries, carrying stones from this state as well as the adjacent Bihar and Jharkhand, used to export them every day for Bangladesh. A few days ago, a group of exporters raised the issue of inappropriateness while loading and unloading of stones and decided not to export the same until intervention of higher authority to make the entire process a flawless one," said a local source.

Following their rigid stand, the exporters association had also decided not to export stones, unless the matter gets solved.

"We have decided to stand rigid on our ground. The entire process of loading and unloading stones is faulty. Some exporters have been using their power to take advantages in trading and thus we have been deprived. The problem turned grim after a section of such exporters locked the main entry point of the truck stand in Balupara. We had also protested the incident and decided to stop stone trading," said one of the agitating exporters on condition of anonymity.

Lorries loaded with goods supposed to cross through the Hili International border were stranded since September 23 in Hili. This has caused huge losses, said the exporters.