AGARTALA, May 10 (TIWN): Export-Import Ratio of Tripura-Bangladesh trade faces lot incompatibilities in the consecutive years. Border Haat brings hope in business.

 According to the experts, the export figure at Kamalasagar border haat would be. Rs. 2.6 crore.The state, which has yet to make a mark in the manufacturing sector, has been gaining ground in the bilateral trade with export volume swelling with every passing month in two Broder Haats.

In the year 2014-15 FY, the bilateral trade volume stood Rs. 358 crore while Rs. 357 crore was import and Rs. 1 crore stood as export to Bangladesh, according to latest figure available with the Industries and Commerce department.

Interestingly, opening of two border haats- Srinagar in South district and Kamalsagar in Sepahijala district appeared a major boost in the bilateral trade in favour of the state.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.