Protests at Indo-B’desh border halt Bhutan boulder trade
The Statesman | 17 June 2025
Trade at the Fulbari Land Port near Siliguri was disrupted today as local exporters and transport associations backed by the Trinamul Congress blocked the movement of Bhutanese trucks carrying boulders to Bangladesh.
Four associations involved in the boulder export trade began a hunger strike several days ago, protesting the lack of support from authorities for Indian exporters. With their concerns ignored, the protesters escalated their agitation by blocking a key section of the Asian Highway 2, which connects Fulbari Land Port in India with Banglabandha Land Port in Bangladesh.
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Their demand is simple: Allow Indian exporters to send boulders to Bangladesh, or stop Bhutanese trucks from passing through Indian territory with boulders bound for the same market.
The protest stems from a trade agreement under which Bhutan supplies nearly 200 truckloads of boulders daily to Bangladesh. Due to better quality and tax advantages, Bangladeshi importers now prefer Bhutanese boulders over those sourced from Indian rivers in North Bengal. This shift has left over 30,000 people in Siliguri and surrounding areas—including exporters, truck drivers, labourers, and clearing agents—without work.
Siliguri Police initially tried to resolve the blockade but eventually had to seek help from Siliguri mayor and senior Trinamul Congress leader Goutam Deb. Mr Deb spoke to the Jalpaiguri district magistrate and met with protest leaders at his residence. He requested the protesters to suspend the roadblock for three days while the state and district administration examine the issue.
After the meeting, Mr Deb said: “I’ve spoken to the Jalpaiguri DM and will also contact officials in the transport department. We’re trying to find a solution so that local exporters can resume their trade with Bangladesh.”
The associations are demanding that the model used at Changrabandha Land Port in Cooch Behar be adopted in Fulbari. At Changrabandha, Bhutanese boulders are unloaded at the Indian side, and Indian trucks then carry them across the border. This arrangement has helped sustain local livelihoods.
Protesters have threatened to continue their hunger strike and may resume the roadblock if no progress is made within the promised three-day window. “We have lifted the blockade for now, but our hunger strike will continue,” said Sukanta Kar, a trade union leader and president of the Fulbari Block INTTUC. “We want the Changrabandha model implemented here. Over 35,000 workers have lost their jobs in this trade.”