AGARTALA, June 19 (TIWN): For the second of its kind in Tripura the border haat set up at Kamalasagar-Tarapur bordering area opened from June 11 this year. The haat was scheduled to be opened every Thursday i.e. once in a week, but interestingly on the second day of the border haat at Kamalasagar several vendors and the vendees were injured after the concerned BSF securities allegedly attacked and harassed them restricting their way towards the haat. As a result only 5 vendors at border haat were seen at the haat whereas a total of 15 vendors from Bangladesh showcased their products for selling. The deprived vendors and the vendees alleged that the BSFs acting on behest of the concerned smugglers had harassed them and stopped their way towards entering the haat. The incident has triggered a huge resentment among the locals on June 18.According to the highly placed source, the concerned officials along the BSF authorities on Friday had held a meeting taking a stock of the situation that occurred on Thursday. The decision of the meeting has not been reported however. but the source also added that a report has been tabled with ADM, Sepahijala ADM, who is also the Chairman of the Border haat committee and also with the DM (Sepahijala). A highly placed official source of Sepahijala District who refused to mention his name talking to TIWN said, “An unexpected incident occurred on Thursday at the haat due to an idiotic role of one concerned custom staff Sandeep Das.”

Adding to that the source said, “Yesterday at the haat, Sandeep Das acting foolish had said the vendors that there products should be brought within the 5 meter radius from the haat, following which most of the vendors fumed.

The volume of trade during the second day of the haat has come down with a very hefty loss and the vendees had returned empty handed.The local vendors on Thursday during the second day of the haat alleged that most of them who were already entrusted and listed to enter ther haat for trading were restricted by the concerned BSF securities at the haat.

Prior to the opening of the border haat at Kamalasagar the officials declared that a total of 50 vendors 25 from each part would be allowed to at the haat for trading and their names were lised but surprisingly on the second day the BSF securities allegedly restricted most of the vendors to enter the haat. This has fumed the deprived vendors.  

The officials announced that Business in the market (haat) would take place once a week among the people living within 5km radius of the border who would sell and buy locally produced goods and crops and it was also officially announced that no local taxes would be imposed on the items to be sold in the haats and currencies of both the countries would prevail.

But interestingly according to the concerned BSF authorities they have not received any order from the district administration and even the names of the listed vendors were also not given to the BSFs. Following which the BSFs on Thursday during the second day of the haat managed tpo restrict maximum vendors from entering the haat as a result the trade volume has come down and most the vendees and the vendor has returned empty handed.

The source also explained, “In the agreement during the year 2012 between India and Bangladesh, no where it was written that the products of the vendors should be within the 5 meter radius.” He further added that the vendors are allowed to carry vegetables, fruits, processed fruit drinks, cottage industry products, handicrafts, textile goods etc. From anywhere and can sell their products at the border haat.

The source said, “After the vendors fumed over the concerned BSFs and the custom authorities due to the idiotic role of Sandeep Das, the BSF securities charged lathis on them and restricted them entering the haat on Thursday.”

It was also reported that on the second day a section of city dwellers here had rushed to the Kamalasagar haat on the second day to buy the Bangladesh products but most of them returned empty handed from there as they were also restricted to enter the haat on Thursday.

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

After setting up a border 'haat' (market) near the India-Bangladesh international border at Srinagar in South Tripura district on January 13 this year bordering Madhugram village of Feni district of Bangladesh, another such market at Kamalasagar in Sipahijala district, was set up and opened from June 11 this year, but the incident occurred on Thursday has brought a serious allegation against the concerned BSF jawans over acting on behest of the smugglers who are on a spree smuggling contraband items and other agricultural products to the neighbouring country Bangladesh.