United News of Bangladesh

Import and export activities at Sonamasjid Land Port in Chapainawabganj will be suspended for eight consecutive days, from March 29 to April 5, to observe Eid-ul-Fitr. During this period, all trade activities between Bangladesh and India will come to a halt. However, passport-holding passengers will still be allowed to travel through the port's immigration checkpost without any restrictions. Payra Port nothing but a 'poisonous boil' for economy: Adviser Wahiduddin Ruhul Amin, secretary of the Sonamasjid Land Port C&F Agent Association, said that the suspension would include the regular weekly holiday, with operations resuming on April 6. Indian authorities at Mahadipur Land Port Customs, along with the C&F Agent and Exporters Associations, were officially notified about the closure. Meanwhile, at Hili Land Port in Dinajpur, trading activities will be suspended for nine days from March 29 to April 5, in observance of Eid-ul-Fitr. However, loading and unloading of goods within the port will continue on non-public holidays. Like Sonamasjid, passport-holding passengers will be able to pass through the Hili Immigration Checkpost as usual. Trading at Burimari port to be suspended for 8 days due to Eid Nazmul Hossain, general secretary of the Hili Land Port Import-Export Group, said that operations will resume on April 6. Both ports are expected to return to regular operations on the morning of April 6, following the Eid holidays.

Sonamsjid land port authorities have taken additional cautionary measures to prevent the spread of Omicron BF.7, a new sub-variant of Covid-19. Following the instruction of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) some additional measures have been taken to prevent the new sub-variant of Covid-19, said Dr. SM Mahmudur Rashid, civil surgeon of Chapainawabganj. Indian truck drivers and their helpers are being allowed to enter the country through the border after health screening, he added. Besides, the members of the medical teams are doing their routine works at the port, Rashid said. Earlier on Sunday, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued an alert at airports, land ports and seaports as the new sub-variant BF.7 of Omicron was detected in China and India. It also asked the authorities concerned to take steps so that people, coming from those countries, go through tests and digital thermal scanner and thermometer are used at the entry points of the country. Meanwhile, four returnees from China were sent to isolation after they tested positive for Covid-19 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka Monday (December 26) afternoon.      

A fire that had broken out inside Sonamasjid Land Port in Chapainawabganj Wednesday afternoon was doused. Three goods-laden trucks, including two Indian trucks, were affected by the blaze. Port sources said the fire originated from an Indian truck loaded with bleaching powder at 3:30pm. On information, firefighters of Shibganj upazila fire service responded to the blaze and could put out the flames within half an hour. Quaderi Kibria, station leader of Shibganj upazila fire service, said they primarily suspect that the fire originated from a truck loaded with bleaching powder due to overheating.