India, B'desh to set up 6 more 'Border Haats' to boost trade

AGARTALA/SHILLONG: Six more "Border Haats" (markets) — four in Meghalaya and two in Tripura — have been approved by the Indian and Bangladesh governments to promote the local business and livelihood of the people living alongside the frontiers while four "Border Haats", were set up along borders of the two countries — with Meghalaya and Tripura in between 2011 and 2015, officials said on Friday.

Senior officials of Tripura's Industries and Commerce Department said that the state government has proposed to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries to sanction eight more "Border Haats" along the state's border with Bangladesh to promote the trades of local and selected commodities and increase the livelihood of the people living alongside the frontiers of India and Bangladesh.

"The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries on an average sanctioned Rs 2.50 crore against the project cost of around Rs 5.30 crore for each of the 'Border Haat'. We have to build up the necessary infrastructure including roads leading to the site of the 'Border Haat'," an official of the Tripura's Industries and Commerce Department told IANS.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi laid the foundation stone for Kamalpur (India) - Kurmaghat (in Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh) "Border Haat" in eastern Tripura on Thursday. Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh, Vikram K Doraiswami was also present on the occasion.

The official said that the Kamalpur (India) - Kurmaghat "Border Haat" would be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 5.30 crore of which the Central government would provide around Rs 2.50 crore.

The official, on the condition of anonymity, said that the Indian and Bangladeshi governments also approved to set up another "Border Haat" in Raghna (India)-Batuli (Bangladesh) along with northern Tripura.

The first "Border Haat'' started functioning on July 23, 2011, at Kalaichar (India)-Kurigram (Bangladesh) in the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Three other such border markets followed at Balat (Meghalaya, India)-Dolora (Bangladesh) in 2012, Srinagar (Tripura, India)-Chhagalnaiya (Bangladesh) and Kamnalasagar (Tripura, India)-Kasba (Bangladesh) in 2015.

These "Border Haat" in around 5,625 sq. metre areas of two countries' territories or 'no-man's land' operate once a week on a fixed day. On the weekly market day, on average, at least 25 vendors including women from both sides of the borders from the two countries participate at "Border Haat" and sell their various products comprising agricultural, cottage and small enterprises and domestic products.

These four "Border Haats", however, have remained closed since March 2020 as precautionary measures against the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown, causing immense loss to the people living bordering villages.

The Tripura and Meghalaya governments on several occasions have urged the Central government to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government to reopen the "Border Haats" maintaining the Covid protocols as the pandemic situation has been declining. According to government records, before the Covid-triggered lockdown period, on average, each "Border Haat" registered an annual business of Rs 3 crore.

India's Jaipur-based think-tank and international NGO — CUTS International, which has done several studies on the border trade and "Border Haats" had also recommended to the Indian government to resume these border markets maintaining necessary precautions against Covid-19, including social distancing as these markets boost the economy, fortify ties among the people of the two neighbours and also check illegal trades.

CUTS International Executive Director Bipul Chatterjee said that the "Border Haats" (markets) along the India-Bangladesh boundaries would prosper the frontier villages and adjoining areas and economically empower the people especially the women living along both sides of the borders of the two neighbours.

"These 'Border Haats' are not only trading points but also a gathering centre of the people of the two neighbouring countries. Life and culture, language and other aspects of the people living on both sides of the borders are the same. Hence, the 'Border Haats' always boost the people-to-people contacts of the two nations and further strengthen the bonding," Chatterjee told IANS.

The four Northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam share a 1,880-km long border with Bangladesh. (IANS)

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