Second haat along India-Bangladesh border starts operation

The second haat (market) along the India-Bangladesh border at Kamalasagar in the Indian state of Tripura’s Sipahijala district next to Bangladesh’s Brahmanbarhia has started functioning.

The border haat was jointly inaugurated through video conferencing from Dhaka by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on June 6.

The common border market of the two neighbours – Kamalasagar-Tarapur Simanta Haat – was made functional on Thursday in presence of district and border guard officials of both the countries.

Tripura’s Industries and Commerce Secretary M Nagaraju, District Magistrate of Sipahijala P C Chakraborty and Raghvir Singh, Commanding Officer of 158 Battalion of BSF, were present from Indian side.

From the Bangladesh’s side Mayor of Brahmanbarhia Eliyas Miah, DC of Brahminbarhia district Musharraf Hossain, Commandant of 12 BGB Nurul Islam were present among others.

Twenty-five vendors from the bordering villages within the five-kilometre radius of the market will be able to sell their produce up to $100 every Thursday.

Some 1,010 buyers have enrolled from both sides who will be controlled by a joint committee.

Several vendors on the first day opened their stalls selling mainly vegetables, fruits, dry fish, garments and plastic goods.

No local taxes would be imposed on the goods sold in the haats and Bangladesh Taka and Indian Rupee will both be used for payment.

The market is expected to increase legal business among the bordering populations and help in manning the border better by reducing smuggling and increasing people-to-people contact.

The first haat along the state’s international border was opened at Srinagar in South Tripura district.

Altogether four border haats will be set up in Tripura though there was demand for eight.

Two others will be set up at Kamalpur in Dhalai district and Dharmanagar in North Tripura district.

These markets are set up at the zero line of the international border with one part on the Indian side and the other on Bangladesh.

Kamalasagar haat, 28 km from Agartala, on 150 x150 square metres of plot spread over two sides of the border cost Rs 2.44 crore for construction.

The cost will be borne by India’s Ministry of Commerce.

In 2012, the first India-Bangladesh border haat was set up at Kalaichar in West Garo hills of Meghalaya.