A huge quantity of merchandise and perishable goods and cereals were stuck up on both sides of the port due to the strike.

A meeting of different business associations has decided to boycott all transactions with the Customs House from today.

Business leader of Benapole Mafizur Rahman Sajan said godown tariff was hiked five times at one go yesterday.

"We're not against the increase but it should be tolerable. We're ready to pay even higher than normal charges. But authorities must improve the infrastructure like building new sheds, buying fresh equipment for loading and unloading and also curbing pilferage of goods from sheds and godowns," said Sajan.

Our Satkhira correspondent reports: Export-import through Bhomra land port remained suspended for the last three days as the C&F agents of both sides went on an indefinite strike Thursday.

The clearing & forwarding (C&F) agents of Bhomra in Bangladesh and Shojadanga land port in India called the strike protesting the arrest of a Bangladeshi C&F agent's representative by the BSF in Shojadanga.

Sources said the Border Security Force (BSF) nabbed Abdul Hamid, a staff of Allar Dan C&F agent, Thursday. The BSF also barred the C&F agents' representatives from crossing the border.

Over 100 trucks laden with perishable goods remained stranded on both sides. The government is also incurring heavy loss of revenue.