Develop Karaitoli land port instead of Gobrakura
A section of Haluaghat business leaders demand
Leaders of Karaitoli Coal and Coke Importers Welfare Association (KCCIWA) in Haluaghat yesterday urged the authorities concerned to start the development works of Karaitoli land port at an early date
At a press conference held at Mymensingh Press Club, the KCCIWA leaders contradicted with the statements of Gobrakura Land Port Exporters and Importers Association (GLPEIA) leaders. Both the land ports are in Haluaghat.
Reading out a written statement at the press conference, President of KCCIWA Md Suruj Miah, also chairman of No 1 Bhubankura Union Parishad in Haluaghat, said the GLPEIA leaders are spreading propaganda against the Karaitoli Land Port only to control the business and the businessmen for political gains.
Karaitoli land port is located at a suitable place for doing business with the Indian counterparts as it is only one kilometre away from the Indian coal depot while Gubrakura land port is two kilometres from Koraitoli, he said.
The export through the land port is increasing every year with payment of more revenue to the government fund, he said, adding that the government earned Tk 4 crore and 6 crore as revenue in 2005 and 2006 while it rose to Tk 12 crore in last fiscal year.
The import and the number of importers through Karaitoli have recently increased and the land port has no unpaid revenue while about TK one crore revenue is due from Gobrakura, he said.
Among others, Secretary of the KCCIWA Md Abu Taleb, advisers of the association Principal Abdul Hye, Kamrul Hasan, Prashanta Kumar Saha, Sushanta Kumar Gosh, Treasurer Osman Ali and association member Md Abdul Jalil were present at the press conference.
At a press conference held at Mymensingh Press Club auditorium on September 30, the business leaders favouring Gobrakura land port also demanded taking it under BOT programme as soon as possible for its smooth running.
Presenting a comparison between the two land ports, the speakers said in last fiscal year 2 lakh 5 thousand tonnes of coal was imported through Gobrakura while only 96 thousand tonnes of coal was imported through Koroitali during the same period.
They also told the press conference that in last three years the government collected Tk 39,04,32,000 (about 40 crore) as revenue from Gubrakura land port while during the same period Tk 18,95,91,000 (about 19 crore) was collected as revenue from Koroitali land port.
Following the claim and counter claim from the leaders of the two associations, a five-member committee headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Md Afzal Hossain visited the spot on September 24.
The committee, formed to settle the matter, however has not yet submitted its report.
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