Revenue falls at Akhaura land port amid import slump

Export earnings at the Akhaura Land Port in Brahmanbaria rose by only Tk9.69 crore in FY2025-26, while government revenue declined sharply due to irregular imports, as Indian restrictions on several Bangladeshi products continued to affect cross-border trade.

Traders say the diplomatic strain between Bangladesh and India following the July uprising and New Delhi's subsequent restrictions on importing several high-demand Bangladeshi products through land ports prevented exports from growing as expected.

For more than three decades, Akhaura has served as a key trading gateway with India and is considered an export-orientated port because exports significantly outweigh imports. Frozen fish, cement, rods and edible oil are among the products shipped through the port to Agartala and other northeastern Indian states.

According to Akhaura Land Customs Station data, exports through the port reached Tk524.03 crore in FY2025-26, up from Tk514.34 crore in the previous fiscal year. Exported items included frozen fish, cement, dried fish, flour and edible oil.

However, imports dropped sharply. Goods worth only Tk1.96 crore, including rice, incense sticks and cumin, were imported in FY2025-26, generating Tk71.33 lakh in revenue. In FY2024-25, imports totalled Tk7.32 crore, including cumin, lentils and cashew nuts, yielding Tk4.17 crore in revenue.

No goods were imported through the port between February and June this year due to a lack of interest among traders. Importers indicate that most approved products need to be sourced from Indian states beyond Tripura. This situation leads to prohibitively high transportation costs, which jeopardise the potential for reasonable profits.

India imposed restrictions on the import of several Bangladeshi products through land ports on 17 May 2025, and the measures remain in place. Traders say the ban has particularly affected exports of plastic products, processed foods, fruit-flavoured juices, PVC goods and cotton products, all of which previously enjoyed strong demand in India.

Rajib Uddin Bhuiyan, an importer-exporter at the port, said the restrictions have significantly reduced export volumes, as plastic products, processed foods and PVC items were among the leading export categories after frozen fish.

Another trader, Md Nasir Uddin, said imports would increase only if authorities allowed a wider range of products to be brought through the port in line with market demand.

Niser Uddin Bhuiyan, senior vice-president of the Akhaura Land Port C&F Agents Association, said traders had expected India to lift the restrictions after an elected government took office in Bangladesh. "That did not happen, and export earnings therefore failed to grow as expected," he said, urging both governments to resolve the issue through discussions.

Assistant Revenue Officer of Akhaura Land Customs Station Sadrul Hasan Chowdhury said revenue collection declined because imports remained irregular. He added that customs authorities were providing all possible support to traders and had informed higher authorities about demands to expand the list of importable products.