BSF stopped the work on the plea that the road is within 150 yards of the no mans land, saying it is illegal as per border law.

At a flag meeting on Tuesday, BSF told Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) that a decision would be taken as per directive of higher authorities.

BDR sources said they requested BSF for another flag meeting to resolve the issue but are yet to get any response.

This correspondent during a visit to the area yesterday saw work on about 800 yards of the road near the Chatlapur land port is stopped.

Reconstruction of the road is part of a Tk 3.25 crore project to develop infrastructure facilities at the land port and reconstruct the six kilometre road from Shomshernagar. A customs office and a truck stand will also be built at the land port under the project.

Work on rest of the road from Shomshernagar is however going on.

A Dhaka-based construction firm is doing the work under the Roads and Highway Department (RHD).

Maj Shahed, second-in-command of BDR in Srimongal, said BSF has no reason to obstruct the road work because it leads to the border point. Customs offices of both Bangladesh and India are within 150 yards of the no mans land, which is necessary to facilitate border trade, he said.

Roads and Highways officials said the project is being implemented with funds from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. If the work is not completed on schedule, the rest of the fund may be withdrawn, they said.

Some exporters and importers at the land port said the immediate past government approved the project after a demand for long. Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and India will increase manifold if the road is repaired and infrastructure facilities built at the land port, they said.

Aminul Islam, RHD executive engineer in Moulvibazar, said the problem created by BSF should be solved through a flag meeting between BDR and BSF. He also urged the district administration to take steps to resolve the problem at the earliest so that the project can be implemented on schedule.