Number of Indo-Bangla border haats to go up

Buyers' purchase limit, vendors to double
India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up two more 'border haats' (bazars) along Tripura border and four more haats along Meghalaya border soon.
Both the countries have agreed to double the amount of money set as the purchase limit for a buyer at the 'border hats,' according to the Ministry of Commerce.
"India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up 'border haats' along their Tripura, Assam, Mizoram and Meghalaya borders in 2010 during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India. This time both the sides agreed to increase its numbers. The issues will be materialised during Prime Minister's upcoming visit to India," a senior official of the Commerce Ministry told the Daily Observer on Monday.
At present, three 'haats' are in operation at Kasba in Brahmanbaria, at Lauagarh in Sunamganj and at Chhagolnaiya in Feni. The first one was opened in mid-2011 reviving the traditional border trade after nearly 40 years.
Now a buyer will be able to purchase goods worth US$200 (Tk 15,560) at these 'haats' as the two neighbours gear up to set up more such bazars to boost bilateral ties and trade.
The official added that the decision was taken at a meeting of the Commerce Ministry to renew the MoU on Bangladesh-India 'border haat.'
"We also agreed to open another four haats along Meghalaya state, this will be at the areas in Sylhet (Bholaganj-Bholaganj), in Mymensingh (Bhuyanpara-Shibbari), in Sunamganj (Baganbari-Rinku) and in Sunamganj (Saydabad-Nalikata)," he said.
Mostly, clothes, traditional goods, various tools, shoes, plastic and melamine goods and vegetables are sold at the 'haats'.
They operate once a week for seven hours from 10:00am.
The neighbours are also planning to double the number of vendors at the 'haats.'
Purchase limit for the buyers at 'border haats' along Bangladesh-India frontiers has been doubled.
Earlier, a customer was allowed to buy goods worth $100 (Tk 7,780) from a 'border haat.'
"India proposed to raise the ceiling to $300 (Tk 23,340), but we agreed on $200 as the ceiling," an official said.
Twenty-five vendors sell goods at each 'haat,' but the neighbours are contemplating to double the number.
'Border haats' have been set up to facilitate marketing of products produced by inhabitants of remote border regions.
"Everyone has agreed  to double the purchase limit and number of vendors," he said.
Tripura state sought at least 100 'border haats' to boost local trade, Meghalaya, too, has sought to set up at least 22 such 'haats.' There is however no such demand from the Bangladesh side.