The West Bengal government has approved the establishment of four border “haats” – common marketplaces – on the India-Bangladesh border, aiming to improve trade and cultural ties, reports UNB quoting a Border Security Force (BSF) officer.
“As a confidence building measure, we had identified and sought approval to set up border haats at 32 locations. The West Bengal government has approved four of those haats,” said BSF Additional Director General BD Sharma.
The border haats would not only allow people from the respective countries to buy each other’s products but also help in improving mutual relationships, as well as trade and cultural ties, he said.
Buoyed by the success of two such haats in Meghalaya, the BSF had approached the Bengal government with a similar proposal.
Describing the India-Bangladesh border as one of the most violent, Sharma said BSF’s relations with the Border Guard Bangladesh remain friendly despite the violence.