All import and export activities through Banglabandha Land Port in Panchagarh will remain suspended for three days due to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election in India.
Banglabandha Land Port Manager and In-charge Abul Kalam Azad and Immigration Police In-charge Kefayetul Wares confirmed the matter on Monday night.
The suspension will remain in effect from Tuesday, 21 April to Thursday, 23 April. As Friday is a government holiday, normal operations at the port will resume from Saturday, 25 April morning.
During this period, movement of passport holders through the immigration checkpost will also remain suspended except for emergency cases, due to restrictions imposed by the Indian side, immigration authorities said.
Authorities said the measure was taken to minimise risks during the voting process along the international border areas of Jalpaiguri district, which borders Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Abul Kalam Azad said import and export activities will remain closed for a total of four days, including the public holiday, and will resume on Saturday morning.
Kefayetul Wares said ‘The immigration system will remain formally open during the suspension of trade activities. However, as India will not receive passport holders due to the election, cross-border movement will effectively remain halted.”
