: One more border haat and another Land Custom Station (LCS) along the Indo-Bangla border are ready for inauguration in Sipahijala district of Tripura.
“The second border haat of the State, built at a cost of Rs 2.44 crore is ready at Kamalasagar, bordering the Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh, about 28 km from here and an LCS at Srimantapur, bordering Comilla district of the neighbouring country, about 52 km from here are now ready for inauguration. We would soon invite Commerce and Industry ministers of Government of India and Bangladesh,” Tripura Industries and Commerce minister Tapan Chakraborty said.
The first border ‘haat’ or market along the Tripura-Bangladesh frontier at Srinagar in South Tripura district, about 140 km from here, was inaugurated on January 13.
Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Bangladeshi counterpart Tofile Ahmed had jointly inaugurated the first border haat along the Tripura-Bangladesh border. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and MP Jiten Chowdhury were also present on the occasion.
Business in the ‘haat’ would take place once a week among people living within 5 km radius of the border who would sell and buy locally produced goods and crops.
No local taxes would be imposed on the items sold in the haats and currencies of both the countries would be accepted.
Initially, 16 items were shortlisted, which include agricultural and horticultural crops, spices and minor forest products (excluding timber), fish and dry fish, dairy and poultry products, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items.
Mr Chakraborty said the Tripura government proposed setting up of eight border haats, but India and Bangladesh initially agreed to setting up of four border haats, which would be constructed at Kamalpur in Dhalai district and one at Dharmanagar in North Tripura district.
These markets are to be set up at the zero line of the international border with one part on the Indian side and the other in Bangladesh. PTI
