AGARTALA, June 6 (TIWN): The 2nd ‘border haat’ (market) along with the India-Bangladesh border at Tripura Kamalasagar, under Sepahijala District would be formally inaugurated on June 6 by Prime Minister Nardenra Modi in presence of his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina to boost trade in local produce of areas on the two sides along the international boundary, said a highly placed official source of state Industry and Commerce department to TIWN on Friday. The 'haat' would be jointly inaugurated by both Prime Ministers via video conferencing from Dhaka.After its formal inauguration the haat would be opened from June 11, but before that another high level meeting would be held among the officials of both the country.The official said no local programme would be arranged on June 6 at Kamalasagar as PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina would formally inaugurate it from Dhaka. They will jointly inaugurate a border 'haat' (market) at Kamalasagar in Tripura's Sipahijala district, which borders Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. Both the PMs would also flag off direct bus from Kolkata to Agartala via Dhaka on June 6, but Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has not yet been invited to attend the programme.The border haats are set up at the zero line of international border with one part on Indian side and the other in Bangladesh.

Another ‘border haat’, built at a cost of around Rs.2.40 crore, is ready at Kamalasagar, bordering Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. This would be the fourth ‘border haat’ along the India-Bangladesh border in the north-eastern states and second in Tripura.

The official also said, “After the formal inauguration of the border haat we would sit for another meeting with our Bangladesh counterpart taking up other issues related to the haat.”

He also said earlier on May 27 this year a meeting was held among the officials of both the country where certain issues like issuing ID cards to the vendors and power facilities at the haat were discussed. Adding to that the official said, “The meeting discussed to issue the ID cards soon to the vendors so that haat can be opened fast.”

Ensuring power facilities at the haat, the concerned officials at Kamalasagar had already written to Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (TSECL), official told TIWN.

“Business in the 'haat' would take place once a week i.e. on every Thursday among people living within 5km radius of the border who would 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 the countries would prevail," he said.

“The haat would remain open from 9:30 AM till 3:30 PM,” adding he said that BSF and BGB with the help of local police would guard the haat along the bordering areas to ensure law and order situation. Register would be maintained for the vendors of both the country.

Two border haats were set up in 2012 on the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border at Kalaichar (India)-Baliamari (Bangladesh) and at Dalora (Bangladesh)-Balat (India).

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