AGARTALA, June 8 (TIWN): As part of its ambitious plan to open haat along Indo-Bangla border Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday inaugurated the second border haat being set up at Tripura Kamalasagar under Sepahijala District with an aim to boost the trade between the two countries.

Talking to TIWN a highly placed official source of state Industry and Commerce department said the haat would be opened from June 11 with once in a week i.e. on every Thursday. However, but locally no programme was held at Kamalasagar on Saturday.

The official said, “Before the haat is opened another meeting would be held among the officials of Bangladesh and Tripura to finalise certain issues related to the procedure of the border trade.”

Built at a cost of Rs.2.44 crore, is ready at Kamalasagar, bordering Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. This is the fourth ‘border haat’ along the India-Bangladesh border in the north-eastern states and second in Tripura.

The ‘border haats’ are allowed to sell local agricultural and horticultural products, spices, minor forest produce (excluding timber), fresh and dry fish, dairy and poultry products, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items.

The official said a meeting was held earlier on May 27 this year regarding the issuance of ID cards to the vendors and the vendees. And in regard of power facilities at the haat along the bordering area the industry and commerce department has already written to the TSECL to ensure power facility during the business period.

“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.

The first border 'haat' or market along the India-Bangladesh frontier at Tripura Srinagar Purba Madhugram of Bangladesh's north-eastern Feni district was inaugurated on January 13, this year to boost local trade.  

The border trade between India and Bangladesh has come as a boon to people in land-locked Tripura, who were at a disadvantageous position compared to people in other states when it comes to availability of goods.

The decision to set up border haats in different parts of the Northeast was taken in a meeting between the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in January, 2010. The objective of setting up of such markets on the border to encourage selling and buying of locally produced goods.