Dhaka, Feb. 4 -- Importers have suspended the import of fruit through Benapole Land Port for an indefinite period protesting the government's decision to impose additional import duties.

No fruit-carrying trucks have entered the port since Tuesday morning as per the importers' decision.

The move came after the government raised the supplementary duty on imported fresh fruit from 20 per cent to 30 per cent on January 9.

Importers said the additional duty has made fruit imports unfeasible, leading to the drastic step of halting imports altogether, according to a UNB report.

Fruit importer Abdul Mannan said that the Bangladesh Fresh Food Association had previously urged the government to withdraw the additional duty.

As their demand was...