AGARTALA, March 7 (TIWN): The export-import ratio of Tripura and Bangladesh faces a lot of in incompatibilities in the recent few years. From the recent data, it is showed that while from Bangladesh the total amount of export lingers in nearly 300 crore rupees, the export from Tripura leads to hardly in lakhs. In the year 2011-12, the total import business amounts to Rs 329 crore rupees, in the year 2012-2013- it has increased upto Rs 342 crore 66 lakhs rupees, though in the year 2014-15, due to political disturbances in Bangladesh, this number is reduced a few. While comparing to the import amount, in 2012-13, it was export of only Rs 1 crore 40 lakhs and in the year 2013-14, it was 40 lakhs. The same amount prevails in the current year also. Sources in the Agartala Export-Import Association said that border trade with Bangladesh along erstwhile Akhaura check-post had severely hit since the devolution of the Indian rupee vs. Dollar price. The situation was further aggravated with the advent of political turmoil in Bangladesh as daily import from Bangladesh came down from the average of Rs. 1.5 crore to Rs. 15-20 lakh.

Tripura suffered an export deficit of Rs. 1.14 crore compared to the previous year in 2012-2013.

In the meantime, the business of the border haat is the only path to strengthen the export-import business.

The state usually exports dry fish, paper boards, scrap iron, banana, citrus fruits like lemon, orange and seasonal fruits like jackfruit, mangoes, spices etc. The import bulk from Bangladesh to the Indian territory through Tripura-Bangla frontiers mainly include small fish, Hilsa fish, stone chips, cement, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, cotton, aluminum profiles etc. 

While Sources informed that he trade will get a further boost when the 15 km railway track connecting Agartala and Akhaura in Bangladesh is completed by 2015, facilitating setting up of four more border markets. Border haat will not only increase the volume of bilateral trade but also boost people-to-people contacts between the two countries. During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi on Jan-10,2013, India and Bangladesh decided to explore possibilities of setting up border haat to boost local trade and ‘people-to-people contact’. Accordingly, border haat was established under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two countries. The MoU enables traders in communities of both India and Bangladesh to trade in local produce without any duty.

While Tripura is keen on opening more border ‘haat’, response of Bangladesh is also very positive in this regard. The recent opening of Srinagar Border Haat in the meantime, paved a very positive step towards the business. The total amount of export from India through this haat is 37.01 lakhs and from Bangladesh it is 9.78 lakhs.

In the recent Assembly session Minister informed, that if Central Government will make positive attitude, border haat at Ekinpur, Bamutia, Hirachara and Boxanagar Border Haat will soon be opened up. At present the export and import is done through 8 land custom stations namely Agartala, Sonamura-Srimantapur, Khowai, Belonia-Muhurighat, and Kailasahar Manughat, Dharmanagar Old Raghna Bazar.

India is keen to set up 70 border haat along its borders with Bangladesh. Of these 35 have been proposed along the borders with West Bengal, followed by 22 along Meghalaya border, 5 in Tripura, 4 in Mizoram and 4 in Assam.