AGARTALA, December 22 (TIWN): Deputy High Commissioner of India Somnath Haldar is likely to visit Ramnagar land port on January 18, 2015 alongwith Upjala Nirbai officer Md Iqbal Hussain. They will supervise the communication system between Ramnagar and Chittagong port, said a source.

According to the source, the first border ‘haat’ (market) of Tripura, set up at Indo-Bangla boundary at Srinagar in South district, about 110 km from Agartala would be inaugurated in the second week of February, 2015 to boost bilateral trade.

The source further said that the border haat in Srinagar and the roads on Indian side were constructed by India at a cost of Rs 2.4 crore and added commerce Ministers of India and Bangladesh were invited to remain present on the day of inauguration.

“The exact date of inauguration would be announced after getting consent of the commerce ministers of the two countries,” the source added.

Business in the market (haat) would take place once a week among the people living within 5 km radius of the border who would sell and buy locally produced goods and crops.

No local taxes would be imposed on the items to be sold in the haats and currencies of both the countries would prevail.

Initially 16 items were short listed which include agricultural and horticultural crops, spices, minor forest products excluding timber, fish and dry fish, dairy and poultry products, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items etc.

Besides, Srinagar, three more border haats are soon to be operational Kamalasagar of West Tripura, Kamalpur in Dhalai district and Ragna in North Tripura. Tripura government has been persuading for four more border haats in the state to boost the border economy and curve the illegal trade between two countries.