Cross-border trade between India’s Northeast and Bangladesh has suffered a major blow since May 17, after the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) enforced fresh restrictions halting operations through critical landports, including the Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP) near Agartala.
The immediate fallout has been severe, with hundreds of trucks laden with consignments bound for Tripura and other Northeastern states forced to turn back after being denied movement clearances. Officials at Akhaura ICP reported a significant drop in cargo traffic, allowing only a limited list of essential commodities, including fish and small consignments of cement, to pass through since the new directive came into force.
“This has caused a drastic fall in goods movement. Regular imports of plastic products, PVC goods, processed foods, and fruit-based beverages have stopped entirely,” a senior Akhaura ICP official said.
The trade suspension has alarmed Bangladeshi exporters, many of whom now fear long-term economic setbacks if the restrictions persist. “We exported goods worth nearly 30 lakh Bangladeshi Taka through Akhaura daily. Now, most of those items—juices, plastic products, furniture—are barred,” a local Bangladeshi trader was quoted as saying in regional media.
For Bangladesh, Akhaura landport serves as a vital commercial gateway into India’s Northeast, including Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and parts of Assam. In the last financial year alone, Bangladesh’s exports via this route surged to ₹453 crore, up from ₹427 crore the previous year—underscoring the port’s growing trade significance.
Among the worst-hit is RFL Plastic, one of Bangladesh’s largest plastic manufacturers. “The Northeast market is now completely cut off. Shifting operations to seaports will sharply increase logistics costs and make trade unsustainable,” said Kamrujjaman Kamal from RFL’s retail division, speaking to a Bangladeshbased daily.
Responding to the crisis, the Tripura government convened a high-level meeting at Akhaura ICP on Monday, led by Dr Sailesh Yadav, Director of Industries and Commerce. Authorities instructed officials to strictly implement the DGFT’s revised trade regulations. “We are processing only the exempted goods as per the directive,” confirmed Debasish Nandi, Manager at Akhaura Land Port.
Even the trade in essential commodities has faced interruptions. On Wednesday, no truck carrying fish managed to cross the border as Bangladeshi exporters reportedly failed to obtain the necessary permits. It’s estimated that fish and dry fish worth $90,000–95,000 is exported daily to India via this route.
With mounting trade losses and growing frustration among traders on both sides of the border, business communities have called for urgent diplomatic intervention to restore normalcy and protect the viability of this crucial economic corridor linking Bangladesh and India’s Northeast.
