AGARTALA, January 11 (TIWN): Bilateral trade between Tripura and Bangladesh hit a deadlock today after the weigh bridge at Integrated Check Post (ICP),Akhaura was collapsed. A long queue of loaded and unloaded trucks of both Tripura and Bangladesh stranded at check post. Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) at ICP were alleged to be responsible for the shutdown of the trade between Tripura and Bangladesh today. Following the damage of the weigh bridge at ICP the concerned labourers gheraoed the LP authorities. Later getting alarm, Police and the BSF Jawans rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Since after the commission of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Akhaura, Agartala border area, it has received a major jolt as the modern ICP was alleged to be fitted with unsophisticated and haphazard system.

ICP after its inauguration has undergone several strikes and halt where the trade between Tripura and Bangladesh was shutdown. Bi-lateral trade between Tripura and Bangladesh was shut down today after the weigh bridge at Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Akhaura was reported to be paralysed, said Tripura Exporters Importers Association Secretary Habul Biswas.

Mr. Biswas today while talking to TIWN alleged that,  since after the inauguration of the modernized Integrated Check post (ICP), the concerned weigh bridge has undergone several faults resulting the trade between Tripura and Bangladesh to shutdown. He alleged that the Land port Authority of India (LPAI) has been playing a negligent role over the maintenance of the weigh bridge, whereas on the other the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) has been intentionally delaying several pending works. It caused several clash between the Indian and Bangladesh truck drivers, said Biswas.

There has been continuous disturbance in the two weigh machine installed at the same time by the same engineers, said Biswas. He further alleged that after both the weight machines got paralysed the CWC and the LPAI has asked the Exporters Importers Association of Tripura (EIAT) to continue its trade using single machine.   

It is also mentionable here that earlier the EIAT had launched several indefinite strikes protesting hike of transport charge by CWC after the commission of the ICP. But Transport tariff had tripled and CWC did not pay any attention to the demand of EIAT, which insisted to suspend all trade at Akhaura.

 ICP at Akhaura, 150 km east of Bangladesh capital Dhaka and 5 km west of capital Agartala, is Indo-Bangla’s biggest trade point with northeast India. An average of 200 Bangladeshi loaded trucks comes to the state every day. Notably, the first of its kind multi-facility Akhaura Integrated Check Post along Indo-Bangla border was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. The ICP, built at a cost of Rs 74 crore, has a modern terminal building, well equipped customs and immigration centers, high security equipment, weigh bridges, currency exchange, internet facility and banks.