The Chilahati Land Port Implementation Committee, a people's forum backed by all political parties, will hold rallies and processions at Chilahati on Friday.

"We will announce tougher programmes at Friday's rally for a full-fledged land port", its Joint Convenor Alamgir Sarkar told this correspondent yesterday. It also held a rally on Sunday.

Ruling BNP's Nilphamari district secretary advocate Anisul Arefin Chowdhury expressed his all out support to the committee's programme. Talking to this correspondent, he said Chilahati in Domar upazila is 'most suited' for a land port in the area. It will not only benefit Bangladesh but also carry forward the spirit of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) by increasing economic co-operation.

Opposition Awami League's district joint convenor advocate Jonab Ali said former prime minister Sheikh Hasina had given directives for taking 'proper steps' in this regard after he and AL Publicity Secretary Asaduzzaman Noor (now a lawmaker) placed the demand before her.

He demanded immediate steps in this regard and said an all-party body will be formed to realise the demand.

District CPB (Communist Party of Bangladesh) President Sreedam Das and former lawmaker from Jatio Party Ahsan Ahamed also demanded implementation of Chilahati land port.

Alamgir said there had been some progress in the official process for setting up of a land port at Chilahati following suggestions by the then FBCCI (Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries) President Abdul Awal Mintoo in March 200 and Bangladesh Land Port Authority Chairman Sharif Atiquer Rahman in May last year. But these were stalled.

Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mr Satial during a visit on August 5, 2000 also favoured Chilahati for a land port because of his country's interest to use Mongla port facilities and its (Chilahati) proximity to Saidpur airport, only 65 kms away, he said.

Chilahati has more geographical and infrastructural facilities than any other spot in the region to promote trade with India Nepal and Bhutan.

Chilahati is only 11 kms from Holdibari in West Bengal, a flourishing business centre with a big railway station and having good rail and road links with rest of India.

Chilahati and Holdibari had a railway link till 1965 (Indo-Pak war). Darjeling mail used to go to Calcutta using this track since the British period. Only laying of 8 kms railway line in Bangladesh territory and 3.14 kms in India may revive the traditional railway link.

Other sources said Bangladesh government had prepared a four and a half corore taka budget for this purpose, but the project is not implemented for reasons unknown.

Chilahati land port will reduce carrying cost and time, increase Bangladesh Railway's income and provide employment to a large number of people.

On the other hand, import through Burimari and Hili customs takes 5-6 days due to lack of facilities, thereby increasing the cost and often damaging imports.

Moreover, Rangpur is only 64 kms from Chilahati and 160 kms from Burimari. Bogra is 200 kms from Chilahati and 270 kms from Burimari. Nilphamari is 45 kms from Chilahati and 90 kms from Burimari.

Indian exporters also prefer Chilahati to Burimari and Hili as Jalpaiguri district town in India is only 22 kms from Chilahati and 50 kms from Burimari.

Business leaders in Nilphamari claimed that transportation of goods by truck from Delhi, Panjab, Uttar Prodesh, Madhya Prodesh and Hariana costs Tk 1500-1600 per ton up to Hili and Tk 1300- 1400 up to Burimari.

Ii will be around Tk 1200 up to Chilahati by truck and Tk 700 by train, they claimed.

Being an old business centre, there are big godowns, an automatic telephone exchange, customs office, two commercial banks, a BDR camp, a police station, roads towards all districts of Bangladesh, a vast space for loading and unloading there.

Products of Uttara EPZ (export processing zone) in Nilphamari may be exported through Chilahati land port.

The Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industries (NCCI) had appealed to the then prime minister on March 5, 2000 to set up a land port here.

Considering these facilities and FBCCI suggestion (in a letter to the then communications minister on March 13, 2000), the then communication minister suggested laying of a rail track between Chilahati and Holdibari to pave the way for setting up of a land port at Chilahati.

Advised by State Minister for Education and Minister-in-Charge for Nilphamari district ANM Ehsanul Haq Milan, chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority Sharif Atiquer Rahman on May 27 last year wrote a letter to the authorities concerned to turn Chilahati land customs station into a land port, Alamgir claimed.

The authorities, after getting a report from the district administration sought by it, issued a letter on June 24 last year.

But only four days later, the authorities turned back. In an order on June 28, activities of the land customs station (check post, customs, immigration office) were stopped.