Trade chokes thru’ Sylhet borders amid Indian restrictions

SYLHET, May 23 (UNB): In the lushgreen hills and tranquil borderlands of Sylhet, a hush has fallen over the once-bustling trade arteries of Tamabil and Sheola land ports.

Export activities at these two critical crossings have ground to a halt, the result of an abrupt ban imposed by neighbouring India, a decision sending ripples of distress through Sylhet's trading community.

According to sources, the crux of the issue lies in India's decision to block the import of goods that it has placed on a restricted list.

Ironically, it is precisely these blacklisted items that constitute the lion's share of exports from Tamabil - which faces India's picturesque Meghalaya state - and Sheola, which connects with Assam across the serene borders of Sylhet's Beanibazar upazila.

Now, a thick veil of uncertainty looms large over Sylhet's export future.

The ports, once alive with the hum of trade and the rhythm of transnational commerce, are eerily silent.

Business leaders have sounded the alarm. Should this impasse endure, Bangladesh stands to lose a vital foothold in the lucrative northeastern market of India, often referred to as the 'Seven Sister' states.