The border trade and immigration centre along the India-Bangladesh boundary in South Salmara district of Assam, which had been shuttered for the past four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officially reopened today. The ceremony marking the reopening was attended by Assam AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam and senior district officials.

The closure of the centre had significantly impacted various groups, including students, traders, and patients who sought medical treatment in Bangladesh. MLA Aminul Islam highlighted the hardships faced by these individuals, noting that the absence of a functional immigration centre forced many to seek alternate, less convenient routes through Meghalaya’s Dawki or Kolkata.

“The closure of the centre led to great difficulties, forcing people from the lower and central parts of Assam to travel to Bangladesh either via Meghalaya’s Dawki or through Kolkata, causing immense inconvenience,” Islam said.

The reopening of the South Salmara centre is expected to streamline cross-border movement and facilitate trade between India and Bangladesh, benefiting local residents and businesses.

Assam now has two operational immigration centres for Bangladesh. The other centre, located at Sutarkandi in Karimganj district, had also been closed during the pandemic but reopened earlier. With the addition of the South Salmara centre, cross-border interactions are anticipated to become more efficient.