Prospective Chilahati land port yet to be opened as red-tapism stands in the way
A train waits at the country's northernmost bordering railway station at Chilahati. Development of 11.34km of railway in Bangladesh and Indian parts would help boost regional trade.Photo: STAR
Bordering Chilahati town in Nilphamari district is yet to be declared as land port despite assurance from and initiative by authorities on different occasions. Situated at a suitable geographical position for running multi-national business, the area has all infrastructural facilities including road and raid communication with different parts of the country. Especially, direct rail link with Khulna near Mongla port makes it a cost-effective and feasible one. There are good power supply facilities, modern telephone exchange, two commercial bank branches, a BDR camp, a police station, a 'dak banglo' (government guest house) and a government college at Chilahati. Declaration of Chilahati as a land port and reopening of Chilahati-Holdibari rail route would facilitate Bangladeshi traders' export and import business with 'seven-sisters' states of north-east India where there is good demand for Bangladeshi goods. The Indian exporters and importers of Shiliguri and Darjeeling also want Chilahati land port. Some 200 exporters and importers in the district, who use land ports in other districts, have to bear 30% -40% additional carrying cost. Nepal and Bhutan are also interested to use Mongla port of Bangladesh for their international trade, traders in the district said. The distance between Chilahati and Kakorvita, a bordering business town of Nepal, via Holdibari and Shiliguri of India is only 95km while the distance between Chilahati and Funt Soling, a business town of Bhutan, via Holdibari, Shiliguri and Joiga of India is 180km. Chilahati-Khulna rail route can help the two countries to transport their goods up to Mongla port at cheaper cost and shorter time. Nathula mountain pass, a newly constructed route aimed at boosting trade between India and China, can also be used by Bangladesh to enhance trade with China as the distance between Chilahati and Nathala of China is about 250km. It is the shortest distance for trading between Bangladesh and China. The opening of Chilahati land port will help to accelerate economic activities among the Saarc countries, Abu Musa, convenor of Chilahati land port implementation committee, said. Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sohel Parvez said Chilahati land port can contribute a new life to Uttara EPZ as the EPZ products might get new market in India, Nepal, Bhutan and even China. Besides, new employment opportunity could help to solve monga in the region. A land custom and traffic office near rail station was set up in 1953 for incoming and outgoing passengers and goods. It was in operation till June 28, 2002. Government employees are still attending those offices without any work. National Board of Revenue in July 2006 declared Chilahati as a land port revenue station and requested the secretary of navigation ministry to declare it as land port, said several exporters and importers of the district. Representatives of Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industry during their separate meetings with commerce secretary Sohel Ahmed and the then commerce adviser Barkatulla Bulu in last year got assurance to declare Chilahati as a land port as early as possible, they said. Nilphamari chamber President Sohel Parvez told this correspondent that the then navigation minister Akbar Hossen told parliament on June 9, 2004 that the work to develop six land ports of the country including Chilahati would come to end soon. Sohel alleged that the work is yet to be started let alone its completion. The distance between Chilahati rail station of Bangladesh and Holdibari rail station in India is 13.34km. Of which Bangladesh has 8.10km and India 3.24km. From British era up to mid 60s of the last century the famous 'Darjeeling mail' train used to run between Darjeeling and Kolkata via Chilahati and Holdibari. Big railway godowns built by the British ruler to preserve unloaded goods from trains are still seen in Chilahati. The 'Merchants association of Chilahati' was the biggest business organisation in the then Rangpur and Dinajpur. After the inauguration of Bangabandhu bridge across the Jamuna, the then Awami League government decided to declare Chilahati a land port. Tk 4.5 crore was sanctioned to repair the 8.10km rail line inside Bangladesh to re-open Chilahati-Holdibari rail route. But the work did not even start.
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