Now, tourists can travel through Banglabandha-Phulbari land ports

After more than two years of closure due to Covid-19, the governments of Bangladesh and Inda have lifted the ban on travelling through immigration check-posts at the Banglabandha-Phulbari land ports -- with tourist visas. 

As a result, from now on if the Banglabandha-Phulbari route is mentioned in the tourist visas, travellers from both the countries will be able to travel through this land port, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.

Confirming the matter Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Immigration Police of Banglabandha Land Port, told The Daily Star over the phone that they have got the instruction in this regard on Thursday (April 7, 2022). 

According to immigration police sources, the government announced to stop tourists' movement through immigration at Banglabandha land port on March 30, 2020, amid increasing Covid-19 infections.

Though the movement was banned for tourists, students and businessmen from India and Nepal used to travel through the port on conditions.  

Later the movement was fully stopped on April 26 in 2021 after the Covid-19 infection and death rate increased in India. 

Gradually the movement for Bangladeshi people with business visas, government emergency passports and medical visas was relaxed, but travel with tourist visas remained completely suspended.

The OC of Immigration Police said a total of 35 people had entered Bangladesh through this land port yesterday (April 8). Of them, eight were Bangladeshis, 23 were Indians and four were Nepalese.

On the same day, a total of 50 people entered India from the Bangladeshi side using this port. Of them, 43 are Indians and seven are Nepalese.

However, no Bangladeshi citizen entered India two days after lifting the ban, OC said.