AGARTALA, June 12 (TIWN): With the joint effort of India and Bangladesh, the fourth border haat along Indo-Bangla border kicked off from June 11, 2015 with an aim to boost the bi-lateral trade between these two countries and keeping eye to cut ‘smuggling’ which rampant here in Tripura. However following the border hat along Tripura-Bangladesh border, Tripura on Thursday pitched to drop smuggling through border haat or market along the bordering areas.

Aiming to promote well-being of the people in remote areas across the borders of India and Bangladesh by establishing traditional system of marketing of local produce, the two countries agreed to set up the Border Haats.

However, on Thursday during the opening ceremonial programme of the second border haat at Kamalsagar DM, Sepahijala District of Tripura P. K. Chakroborty said, “We aim to cut smuggling along the bordering areas either from Bangladesh or from Tripura through such border haats or markets being set up with the joint effort by both the countries.”

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Smuggling and Circulation Fake Currency Notes with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, with the ambitious plan of PM Modi, and from now would keep a strict vigil along with the bordering areas of the nation especially in Tripura to prevent the smuggling of contraband items which is rampant here.

The haat under a shed would be operational in presence of strict eye of both BSF and the BGB along with the local police. Besides, the officials say that the border haat is another mean to stop the smuggling along with the bordering areas.

According to the official input, the concerned BSG jawans with the help of the local police and the BGB from Bangladesh would keep a strict vigilance on the procedure of the trading among the Indians and the Bangladeshis.

The officials claim, “There is no chance for smuggling of any kind of contraband items because every trader and their products would be checked before they sit for trade at the haat and the ID cards had been issued to the genuine traders.”

Registration facility has also been kept at the haat office to record and list the traders and the buyers while they make an entry and exit later, said official.

With the second haat opened from Thursday at Kamalsagar Tripura has a total of two border haats now with another at Srinagar, earlier this year opened and has been witnessing a better growth in the economy of both Tripura and Bangladesh.

Police often detain vehicles and seize thousands of bottles of Phensedyl consignments that are not used in Tripura but are supplied to Bangladesh. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg because the network is very deep rooted and widespread.

Illegal intrusion of the extremist, smuggling of contraband items and cattle’s across Tripura to Bangladesh and vice-versa has become an everyday-issue. Despite the wire fencing across the border area, Tripura has become the hub for transporting the prohibited goods.

However but the locals along with the bordering areas of the state are now keeping hope of a fruitful solution to the rising problem, with PM Modi inked the MoU with his Bangladeshi counterpart with an aim to prevent the smuggling and circulation of fake currency notes.

The haat opened on Thursday at Tripura Kamalasagar bordering Bangladesh Brahmanbaria District and would be operational once in a week i.e. on every Thursday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 OM on IST. The trade between these two countries is allowed up to Rs. 100 dollar. A total of 25 traders from Tripura have been identified, who would be allowed to trade with Bangladesh.