DINAJPUR: Trans-border trade through Hili Land Port halted Tuesday for a strike enforced across India to protest price hike of essentials, including fuels.

Hakimpur Banglahili Customs C&F Agents Association President Ferdous Rahman told banglanews24.com.bd that the export-import trade between the two countries remained suspended since 6 am Tuesday.

A total of nine major trade unions went on a 24-hour-long nationwide strike on Tuesday in protest against price hike and other issues like disinvestment of public sector, retrenchment and inroads of foreign capital in retail market.

“No freight trucks from Bangladesh and India could cross the border today,” said Ferdous.

Boarder trading will be normal after 6am Wednesday, he informed.  

Ashok Mandal, General Secretary of Indian Customs C&F Agent Association, told banglanews24.com.bd, “Nine labourers’ associations of leftist bloc called the strike to press their five-point demands.”  

Almost all shops, business establishments, transport services, markets and even educational institutions remained closed in India, according to the sources.

"Lakhs of workers will participate in the strike across the country. Those employed in private sector will also join the strike in many places," All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta was quoted by the media as saying.

AITUC, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and federations of different categories of workers and employees joined in the general strike, called by the Coordination Committee of Central Trade Unions headed by Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) President G Sanjeeva Reddy.

BDST: 1335 HRS, SEP 7, 2010.