Three-Day Halt at Hili Land Port for Elections

Hili Land Port in Dinajpur will suspend all import and export operations for three consecutive days in observance of the 13th National Parliamentary Election and related public holidays. The temporary closure, affecting trade with India, has been officially communicated to Indian business partners, who have consented to the arrangement.

Shahinur Islam Mondal, General Secretary of the Hili Customs C & F Agents Association, confirmed the shutdown, stating that it is in line with the government-declared holidays surrounding the election. “Tomorrow, 12 February, Bangladesh will hold its 13th National Parliamentary Election. In this context, the government has declared a general holiday on Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday is the regular weekly holiday,” he explained. “Consequently, all import and export activities through Hili Land Port will remain suspended from Wednesday to Friday. Normal operations will resume on Saturday.”

M R Zaman Bandhan, Revenue Officer at Hili Customs Station, echoed the announcement, highlighting the rationale behind the closure. “The government has declared a two-day holiday due to the election, and the weekly holiday follows on Friday. Therefore, trade activities will remain entirely suspended for three days,” he said.

The three-day closure is expected to temporarily affect the flow of goods between Bangladesh and India, including essential commodities, industrial supplies, and other traded products. Traders and logistics operators have been advised to adjust their schedules accordingly to prevent disruptions.

For clarity, the schedule of operations is summarised below:

Local authorities have urged traders to complete pending shipments in advance where possible and to liaise with the port authorities for urgent consignments. While the closure is temporary, it underscores the port’s compliance with national election protocols and the coordination required with cross-border trading partners.