AGARTALA, June 11 (TIWN): Tripura’s 2nd and the Indo-Bangla 4th border ‘haat’ or market along Indo-Bangla opened on Thursday to boost the local trade and people across borders. The border trade between India and Bangladesh has come as a boon to people in land-locked Tripura, who were at a disadvantageous position compared to people in other states, when it comes to availability of goods.With a joint effort of both India and Bangladesh, the fourth border haat kicked off on Thursday along Tripura’s Kamalasagar, under Sepahijala District and Bangladesh Tarapur bordering area. This is the second border haat in Tripura. The haat or the market was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Nardenra Modi and his counterpart Sheikh Hasina via video conferencing on June 6 from Dhaka. However on Thursday the main programme of opening the haat was organised under the initiative of Tripura’s Sepahijala District Administration and Bangladesh’s Brahmanbaria District administration. Addressing the programme today, DM (Sepahijala) P K Chakraborty said trading at the '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 be allowed to run the trading. The haat would be operational from the Indian Standard Time (IST) of 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Adding Chakraborty said a total of 25 traders were listed from Tripura who would be allowed to trade with Bangladesh at haat. Whereas around 1, 010 buyers were identified. Besides, Chakroborty said a 5 members committee was constituted under the leadership of ADM of both Sepahijala and Bangladesh Brahmanbaria District, which would keep eye on the trade between the two districts at Kamalasagar bordering Tarapur of Bangladesh.

He also mentioned that under Bishalgarh Rd Block there is a total of 5 Gram Panchayats.

The ‘border haats’ are allowed to sell local agricultural and horticultural products, spices, minor forest produce (excluding timber), fresh and dry fish, dairy and poultry products, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Border Haats and Border Trade along the India-Bangladesh border was signed on October 23, 2010. The MOU enables traders in border communities of both India and Bangladesh to trade in local produce.

Besides, talking to the gathering assembled to witness the opening ceremony of the second border haat in Tripura Bangladesh Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Dr. Md Musharraf Hussain said, “The border haat would bring a great boon for the people of the country and it would further help to grow the economy of both the country.” Adding to that Hussain said, “It is only the barbed wire fencing that stands as a barrier between Tripura and Bangladesh. The people of both parts are same and have a love for one another.”

However, during the programme on Thursday Sepahijala Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Dilip Chakma, Bangladesh Brahmanbaria ADM Nazma Begum along with other delegates and officials of both Tripura and Bangladesh Brahmanbaria remained present.  

This is the second border haat made operational from Thursday after Srinagar Border haat.

Earlier this year on January 13, Union Minister for Commerce Nirmala Sitaraman had inaugurated Srinagar border haat in the presence of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. India and Bangladesh, as neighbours, share 2,979km of land border and 1,116km of reverie boundaries.