Coal export to Bangladesh resumes

New Delhi: Import of coal from Meghalaya and Assam to Bangladesh through land customs stations which was stopped earlier this month resumed on Thursday following a negotiated settlement between traders and exporters.
Coal export had come to a halt on April 1 as Indian exporters, protesting against the sudden rise in excise duty, had stopped supply of coal to Bangladesh.
Around 30,000 labourers remained jobless for 10 days due to the suspension of the export through six land customs stations in Sylhet region on Bangladesh, following which a six-member team from Bangladesh visited Meghalaya and Assam and held series of meetings with the Meghalaya Exporters’ Association in Shillong, Karimganj District Exporters’ and Importers’ Association and Assam Exporters’ & Importers Association to iron out the differences.
About 1.5 million tons of coal is exported through the six land customs stations in Tamabil, Shella and Bholaganj along the Meghalaya-Sylhet region and Barchhara, Bagli and Charagaon in Sunamganj, Bangladesh.