Modi, Hasina to open border haat

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate a border 'haat' (market) at Kamalasagar in north-eastern Indian state of Tripura's Sipahijala district beside the border of Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh.

During his visit to Dhaka, beginning on June 6, Modi on behalf of Atal Bihari Vajpayee will receive Bangladesh government's honour on the ailing former Indian prime minister for his contribution to the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

The border 'haat' will jointly be inaugurated through video conferencing from Dhaka during Modi's two-day visit to Bangladesh, Sipahijala Additional District Magistrate DK Chakma told reporters today.

It is, however, yet to be decided whether the inauguration would take place on June 6 or 7, he added.

The border 'haat' will be set up at the zero line of international border with one part on Indian side and the other in Bangladesh.

Business there will take place once a week and people living within 5km radius of the border will be able to 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 countries would prevail, said Shyamal Dev, senior manager of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation which is the nodal agency for setting up border haats.

Initially, 16 items are short listed, including 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, he said.

The border 'haat' at Kamalasagar is the second in the state after the one at Srinagar in South Tripura district was set up to boost bilateral trade between the two countries.

Altogether four border 'haats' will be constructed in Tripura with the other two at Kamalpur in Dhalai district and Dharmanagar in North Tripura district, Dev said.

The first border haat was set up in 2012 at Kalaichar in West Garo hills of Meghalaya.