AGARTALA, June 18 (TIWN): The third border haat project is still a far away as there is no progress from the neighbouring country to conduct the joint meeting. Although the representatives from Bangladesh has given response to the letter sent by the authorities of Tripura to conduct the joint meeting long back but after that no initiative is taken by the representatives of Bangladesh to progress the border haat work at Kamalpur. With the aim to boost the trade between India and Bangladesh, Tripura is moving ahead with the initiative to open a new border haat at Kamalpur under Dhallai district but the lacklustre attitude of the authorities from Bangladesh has given a pause to the development of the project. It is to be mentioned here that the border haat project can only be pushed if the authority from Bangladesh equally shows interest in the project as joint co operation from both the side is quintessential to mobilise the border haat project.

A joint meeting between the authorities of Tripura and Bangladesh is important for deciding the venue for the haat but after that the project didnot make any progress.  Until and unless the meeting is conducted no progress can be made for the 3rd border haat in Tripura.

Border haats across the Tripura-Bangladesh border will not only help improve local trade but also make Tripura the entry point for Bangladeshi products for all the states in India’s North-East and with this aim to hike border trade  Tripura was looking forward to begin the third border haat project.

The first ever border trade between Tripura (India) and Bangladesh is at Srinagar border haat under South district comes as boon for land-locked Tripura with the haat securing a good response from both the sides and the other is at Kamalasagar in Sipahijala district. 

After setting up a border 'haat' (market) near the India-Bangladesh international border at Srinagar in South Tripura district on January 13this year bordering Madhugram village of Feni district of Bangladesh, another such market at Kamalasagar in Sipahijala district, was opened to boost bilateral trade and enhance people to people contacts.

Altogether four border haats would be operational in Tripura; the two others are at Kamalpur in Dhalai district and Dharmanagar in North Tripura district.

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

With zero progress in the third border haat at kamalpur it seems that nothing can be predicted when the border haat work will gain momentum.