On the other side of the border, India had no infrastructure at the Dalu customs station. There was very little trade in the border area. However, the objection of the land port authorities and NBR about converting this customs station into a land port had no impact.
Recently, a train has started operating to Siliguri, India via Chilahati. Chilahati Customs Station was declared a land port in 2013 on the orders of a then minister of Nilphamari. But since there was no customs station in the Haldibari area of Cooch Behar in India, this land port was not operational for long.
A state minister recently lobbied for the creation of infrastructure at the Chilahati land port. But BLPA did not take up that project because there was no infrastructure in the Indian part.
When asked about the Balla Bhoomi port, Iftikharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), told Prothom Alo, “This is a glaring example of using state resources to achieve personal interests in the name of state objectives. Is. Many people have benefited financially from this initiative, while some have benefited in other ways. Whoever influenced the passage of this project has a responsibility. Those who were involved in project approval and implementation also have liability. They must all be held accountable.”
Iftikharuzzaman said the Balla Land port project is an example of abuse of power and waste of public funds.
*The report, which was originally published in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Ghalib Ashraf.