India-Bangladesh trade along with the northeastern states on Tuesday remained unaffected by the ‘Bharat Bandh called by the farmers’ unions over the contentious farm laws enacted by the Central government, officials said.
According to the Customs and check-post officials, India-Bangladesh trade through the Integrated Check Posts (ICP) and Land Customs Stations (LCS) in Tripura and Meghalaya, and India-Myanmar trade through the Moreh ICP (in eastern Manipur) were conducted normally without any interference due to the nationwide strike.
The Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) ICP is the second-largest trading point between the two neighbors after the Petrapole-Benapole ICP in West Bengal.
Manager of the Agartala-Akhaura ICP, Debashish Nandi, told IANS that trade between India and Bangladesh remained totally unaffected by the Bharat Bandh.
Adjacent to Agartala, the Agartala-Akhaura ICP is the most important international trading land port in northeast India with an average of 80-100 trucks loaded with various goods for trades coming to Tripura every day from Bangladesh.
On average, trades valued at Rs 3 to 4 crore takes place every day through the Agartala-Akhaura ICP.
There are around 35 operational Land Customs Stations along the India-Bangladesh and India-Myanmar borders adjoining the seven northeastern states.
Four Indian northeastern states — Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Assam — share a 1,880-km border with Bangladesh, while Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1,640-km unfenced border with Myanmar.