Strike halts trade through Akhaura

Export and import through Akhaura land port came to a halt as businessmen enforced an indefinite strike at the port yesterday demanding repair of a dilapidated road from Dharkha to the port.
Port officials said import and export of goods were suspended since morning due to strike called by local businesspeople to press their demand.
However, the movement of travellers to and from Agartola (India) remained normal.
All types of vehicles, except passenger buses, stayed off the 16-kilometre Dharkha-Akhaura road that developed 100 breaches and holes after last week’s downpour.
Local importers and exporters said the cracked and holed road causes accidents everyday and 2-3 hours delay in transporting goods to and from the land port, for which the traders count crores of taka losses.
Port officials said one-day’s stoppage of import and export caused a Tk 50 lakh loss to the country.