In the Sribhumi district of Assam, at least 500 traders have announced that they will no longer be importing or exporting to Bangladesh due to the rising violence against minorities and disrespect for the Tricolor in the neighbouring country.
On Monday, the traders assembled at a river port close to Sribhumi town, where some of them set fire to Bangladeshi goods that had previously been shipped here.
The Karimganj District Export-Import Coordination Committee's Amaresh Roy stated that they oppose violence against Bangladesh's religious minorities, including Christians and Hindus.
He said: “They continuously disparage India without cause, but most recently, we witnessed an insult to our national flag there; this is intolerable. The nation comes first for us, and we do not wish to carry on doing business with that kind of nation.”
According to Roy, the Sribhumi district is home to several trade unions, and the coordination committee serves as a forum for them all.
“We have jointly taken the decision and the trade will be discontinued until the normalcy returns in Bangladesh,” he stated.
There are 13 land ports and four water ports in northeastern India, including Bangladesh and Sribhumi. The busiest land ports are Sutarkandi in Sribhumi, Dawki in Meghalaya, and Akhaura in Tripura.
Coal, stone, limestone, ginger, onion, rice, dry chilli, and fruits are the main exports from the northeast. Wooden furniture, plastics, cement, GI sheets, waste cotton, iron rods, fish, pickles, soft drinks, biscuits, and a few other food items are also being imported to Bangladesh.
Roy claimed that following the onset of the widespread violence in Bangladesh on August 5, commerce was suspended for about two months.
“The majority of traders in Bangladesh were hiding for political reasons, and the country's major banks refused to provide Letters of Credit (LC). However, the trade began in October,” he added.
Large-scale demonstrations against violence against Hindus in Bangladesh were held in the Barak Valley region of Assam, which is made up of the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi. Following the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das of Iskcon last week, the protest grew more intense.
Joining the traders, local MLA from the Sribhumi district Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha declared that they would not permit any trade with Bangladesh until the attacks on Hindu minorities ceased.
In a letter to the District Commissioner of Sribhumi, Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi, he wrote, “As the sentiment of the people of Sribhumi District is on high regarding the arrest of Chinmoykrishna Das & due to targeting the Hindu religious minority community. I hereby request you to stop the export & import with Bangladesh via the Sutarkandi Border and Sribhumi Steamerghat through the riverine route till the situation normalises in Bangladesh.”
However, Dwivedi underlined that the government has not issued an order to halt commerce with Bangladesh and that they will not interfere until such orders are issued.
“These transactions take place between private parties, and independent businessmen are free to choose who they want and do not wish to do business with. We have no say in the matter. There is not an official embargo on imports; all I can say is that no order from the appropriate authorities has been issued,” he mentioned.
Crown Prince of Dubai presents PM Modi replica of his grandfather's traditional cloak
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a replica of his grandfather Sheikh Rashid's 'bisht'
President Murmu encourages Indian researchers in Portugal to contribute towards Viksit Bharat
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday interacted with over 60 Indian doctoral and post-doctoral researchers working in various institutions and universities all across Portugal, during her ongoing State Visit to the country, the first-ever visit by an Indian President in 27 years.
OTPC Palatana conducts security mock drill
The OTPC Palatana Plant, which stands as a vital installation and a significant asset not only for the state of Tripura but also for the Government of India, has successfully conducted a security mock drill on Tuesday.
PM Modi working tirelessly for welfare of Indigenous people: CM Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working tirelessly for the overall welfare of the indigenous people of the state, and the BJP government is also working in line with the direction of PM Modi.
CM listens to public grievances in Mukhyamantri Samipeshu, assures help
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that health services in the state have significantly improved and all the facilities of government medical services are now available in the state.
ADB approves $85.4 Million loan to boost industrial infrastructure in Tripura
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved an $85.4 million loan to improve critical industrial infrastructure in Tripura to boost competitiveness in the manufacturing sector, promote job creation, and facilitate integration into regional and global value chains.
ONOE will save time, money & resources: Former Tripura CM
Former Tripura Chief Minister and Lok Sabha Member Biplab Kumar Deb on Tuesday strongly defended the ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) Bill, saying that the initiative would bring significant savings in time, money, and resources.
Waqf Amendment Act comes into force, Centre issues gazette notification
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, officially came into effect on Tuesday following a Gazette notification issued by the Central Government. The Act received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday, two days after its passage in Parliament.