Four more border haats will be set up soon along the Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya with an aim to further boost bilateral trade and living conditions of boarder areas, officials concerned said yesterday.
Of the haats, two will be in East Khasi Hills - Bholaganj and Ryngku – and two will be one in South West Khasi Hills (Nolikata near Ranikor) and South Garo Hills (Sibari).
“Bangladesh and India have already agreed to open four more border haats apart from the two already in operation for the past three years,” said an official in the commerce ministry.
He said the agreement was reached in Dhaka during a recent meeting between top officials of Bangladesh's commerce ministry and India's external affairs ministry.
India's state government of Meghalaya had earlier proposed setting up of 22 such haats across the 443 kilometre-long Bangladesh-Meghalaya border after identifying traditional local markets existed prior to 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh.
According to the officials, launching of four haats is now in the process as Indian side is working for mobilising funds to implement execute ground works.
After consultations with Border Guards of Bangladesh and district administrations concerned, the government has decided to allow only four market places along the border.
Bangladesh is now scrutinising Indian proposal to set up four new haats in the selected sites, said another official. “If everything is OK, the haats may be launched this year or early next year,” he said.
The border haats will be open once a week where several hundreds of people from each part of the border will get access.
Currencies of both countries can be used in trading. The traders will exchange the currencies in the banks in the two border districts.
In 2011, India and Bangladesh opened their first border haat at Kalairchar in Kurigram and West Garo Hill district in Meghalaya, reviving the traditional border trade after nearly 40 years.
Later in the same year, the two countries opened another haat at Lauwaghar (Dalora) in Sunamganj and Balat in East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya.
Mizoram and Assam states of India also want Bangladesh open some haats in border areas. Bangladesh is, however, yet to take any decision on the issue.
The haat is 60 kilometres from Tura, the headquarters of Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district. Kurigram district of Bangladesh is located just across the river Jinjiram, which flows along the zero line of the border beyond the barbed wire fence on the Indian side.
“Both the countries have agreed to set up the four haats after a great success by launching two haats three years back,” said a high official of commerce ministry.