Deb, who resigned as Chief Minister in May of last year, had pleaded with the Centre to restore the Border Haats along Tripura’s border with Bangladesh during a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha in December 2022.
In order to support local commerce and the way of life of those who reside on either side of the border, the Indian government has brought up the matter of reopening the two “Border Haats” (markets) in Tripura with its Bangladeshi counterpart.
Anupriya Patel, the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, informed former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in a letter that the Covid-19 epidemic has caused the Border Haats in Kamlasagar in the Sepahijala district and Srinagar in the South Tripura district to cease operations.
In our bilateral discussions with Bangladesh, we bring up the issue of the Border Haats at Kamlasagar and Srinagar on a regular basis. In her letter to Deb, a current BJP Rajya Sabha member, Patel said, “We are optimistic of an expedient settlement of this situation.
Deb, who resigned as Chief Minister in May of last year, had pleaded with the Centre to restore the Border Haats along Tripura’s border with Bangladesh during a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha in December 2022.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak and the ensuing lockdowns, the four Border Haats—two in each of Tripura and Meghalaya—have been blocked, inflicting significant harm to the residents of the bordering villages.
The two Border Haats in Meghalaya, located in the districts of Balat (East Khasi Hills) and Kalaichar (South West Garo Hills), were both reopened last year and are now each open once a week.
The Covid-19-induced crisis has almost completely subsided today, according to representatives of the Tripura Industries and Commerce Department, and the authorities in the district administrations of South Tripura and Sepahijala have often asked their Bangladeshi colleagues to reopen the Border Haats.
According to Bangladeshi authorities, the relevant Dhaka ministries have not yet approved the reopening of the marketplaces, a department official informed IANS.
The Indian government was also urged to reinstate these border markets while taking the necessary precautions against Covid-19 by Jaipur-based think tank CUTS International, which has conducted numerous studies on border trade. This is because these markets boost the economies of both countries, strengthen ties between their citizens, and deter illegal trade.
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