AGARTALA, August 11 (TIWN): Instead of arresting suspects and handing them over to the police for investigation, Border Security Force soldiers are often accused of harassing the common people at the Kamalasagar Tarapur second border haat.

It is accused that the people who had come to the border haat on Thursday were harassed by the BSF official and were asked to wait in a long queue under the scorching sun and were not allowed to enter the haat.

However, a few of the people in the haat from India felt ill and were sent for preliminary medical aid.

Apart, allegation is also raised from the people that the stalls and sheds are also not distributed appropriately to the businessman which is raising a clash of word between the business man of both the country.

The border haats were open with an aim to boost the trade between both the countries but the negligence attitude of the BSF seems to turn down the charm of the border haats in the Tripura.

Earlier the Tripura government had proposed for 8 border haats but the central government had approved 4 haats in Tripura bordering Bangladesh. The two had started operation and the rest two would come up soon amongst which the third is in pipeline.

The main objective to set up the border haat or a common marketplace, is to identify a place where the local traders from both countries would be allowed to set up shops, and would not only allow people from the respective countries to buy each other's products but also help in improving mutual relationship as well as trade and cultural ties.

Border haats cater to the masses on both sides of the border and help people to sell products presuming that there is no border. The state government is keen to increase the number.

The establishment of border markets has become all the more necessary after border fences came up between the two neighbours, practically ending the flourishing illegal trade.

A proposal to set up the border markets or 'haats' was a part of the Joint Declaration signed by India and Bangladesh during Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi in January 2010.