Ten months on, Meghalaya’s border haats await green light from Bangladesh
The border haats have remained closed for the past 10 months since an interim government was installed in Bangladesh.;
A file image of the India-Bangladesh Border Haat at Balat (East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya)
Shillong, May 19: The Bangladesh government is yet to okay the opening of business at the two border haats in Meghalaya set up along the zero line of the international border, an official said on Sunday.
The two border haats – Balat in East Khasi Hills district and Kalaichar in South West Garo Hills district – are among the first four initiated in 2012 to formalise informal cross-border trade between people residing at the edge of their respective countries.
“The border haats have remained closed for the past 10 months since an interim government was installed in Bangladesh,” a senior Industries Department official said.
He said the Bangladesh interim government is yet to respond to the official communications regarding the opening of the border haats in Meghalaya.
B Lyngdoh, a resident of Balat who is also listed as a vendor, expressed hope that bilateral cooperation and trade would resume soon.
“We are living at the edge of our country, and border haats have helped us. We get our veggies and fish from Bangladesh, while our perishable fruits are exported,” he said.
Located at the zero line along the India-Bangladesh border, these haats serve as meeting points for the locals on both sides, facilitating direct trade of local products.
While local residents living within a 5 km radius are permitted to sell locally produced goods at these duty-free border haats, around 500 people weekly are allowed to participate from both sides, and one can only purchase up to USD 200 on a single haat day.
--PTI