Bangladesh trade updates: Hili Land Port reopens and import policies change

Trade activities between Bangladesh and India have resumed at the Hili Land Port in Dinajpur following a six-day suspension. The stoppage, caused by an indefinite strike by Indian traders, began on August 30 due to concerns regarding the port’s competitiveness. Operations restarted on September 5 after government and local administration assurances that trade issues would be addressed. While commercial cargo movement was halted, passenger travel through the immigration checkpoint remained unaffected.

Separately, Bangladesh has updated its import regime through the Import Policy Order 2026–2029. The new policy allows eligible industrial and commercial importers to use purchase or sales contracts for admissible imports without the previous annual ceiling of US$500,000. While the Letter of Credit (LC) route remains available, the policy change aims to provide more flexibility, though experts suggest that smarter oversight and integrated digital monitoring are necessary to prevent disconnected administrative checks.