No Bangladeshi passport holders are allowed to visit India through Botuli immigration check post in Moulvibabzaar district, but Indians can visit Bangladesh through the point.
The check post is in Juri upazila of Moulvibazaar.
On the other side of the border is India's 'Raghna' land customs and immigration check post in Tripura province.
Mouvibazaar deputy commissioner Mostafizur Rahman told local journalists recently that he had brought the matter to the notice of the ministry of foreign affairs.
Local people said that Botuli land customs and immigration check post remained busy with immigration and import export activities from 1972 to 1975.
They said that in 1975 the check post was closed.
In 1997, the Botuli Land Customs Office was reopened.
The customs and immigration point there became busy with increased trade again in 2008 after a bailey bridge was installed over the river Juri in Moulvibazaar to connect the road with the customs office.
During a visit to India, a Bangladesh chamber team had taken up the issue of reopening the immigration check post and a land custom office there.
Subsequently, in 2001, the two countries set up the check post and the customs offices at Botuli in Bangladesh and Raghna in India in 2001.
Officials said that three immigration officers are posted at Botuli Immigraton Check Post.
They said that Bangladeshi officials posted in India issue visas to the Indian nationals to enter Bangladesh through Botuli immigration point.
They said that since November 28, 2003, the Indian authorities stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshis to visit India through Botuli in Bangladesh and Raghna in India.
Juri upazila chairman MA Mumit Ashuk told New Age that after he took up the matter with local lawmaker Md Shahab Uddin he said that he would take it up with the ministry of foreign affairs.
Source : New Age
