Import-export trade declines at Burimari land port

Trade through one of Bangladesh’s busiest land crossings with India has fallen sharply, squeezing government revenues and forcing businesses to suffer as economic slowdown, political instability and strained diplomatic relations choke cross-border commerce.

At Burimari Land Port in northern Bangladesh, imports plunged 17 percent year on year to 24.16 lakh tonnes from India and Bhutan in the 2024-2025 fiscal year (FY25), according to data by the Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA).

Export through the port, however, increased marginally to 1.69 lakh tonnes in FY25 from 1.50 lakh tonnes the previous year.

Overall cargo handling through the land port dropped to 26.38 lakh tonnes, the lowest since FY21 when the volume of cargo was 47.84 lakh tonnes, BLPA data shows.

The slowdown has rippled through the local economy, cutting daily wages for port workers in half and driving some traders out of business entirely.

Ruhul Amin, assistant director of the BLPA at Burimari, said during the first six months of the current fiscal year, 16.05 lakh tonnes of goods were imported, and 90,300 tonnes were exported.

The downturn reflects broader strains in the Bangladesh-India relationship, domestic political upheaval and slowdown in construction activity, a key driver of demand for imported stone that flows through Burimari.

“The strain in Bangladesh-India political relations is directly affecting trade,” said Shamim Ahmed, an import-export trader at the port. “My business has dropped by nearly 70 percent from before. If the current situation persists, I may have to quit the business altogether.”

India has imposed various restrictions on Bangladeshi exports, traders say, though the specific measures remain unclear.

The consequences have been most severe for the port’s labourers.

Ataur Rahman, who represents cargo loading and unloading workers, said daily wages have tumbled to Tk 400-Tk 500 from Tk 800 two years ago as import volumes have dwindled.

“When imports increase, both our workload and income rise,” Rahman said.

Some businesses have already closed.

Sahed Ali, another trader, said many of his peers left the area after the political changeover in August 2024.

“Demand for stone has ebbed at the port, as a slowdown in construction activities in the country has reduced stone imports,” he said.

The businessman was optimistic that the situation might improve after the national election.

Government officials acknowledged the revenue impact but said conditions are likely to improve in the coming days.

Delwar Hossain, assistant commissioner of customs at Burimari, said revenues fell last fiscal year but have begun recovering in recent months as trade activity gradually normalises.

“Regular meetings are being held with traders to make Burimari land port more business-friendly,” Hossain said.

Traders and business groups say restoring cross-border commerce will require domestic political stability, acceleration of economic activities, and an improvement in Bangladesh’s diplomatic relationship with India, its largest trading partner and neighbour.

Faruk Hossain, president of the Burimari Land Port C&F Agents Association, said regular discussions and exchanges are underway to normalise import-export trade with India and Bhutan.

“Political instability has caused a slowdown in business,” he said, explaining that while import trade is performing relatively well in the current fiscal year, export trade has yet to fully recover.

“We are hopeful that political stability will return after the national election, encouraging traders to re-engage in business,” he added.