To improve Bangladesh-India relations and to encourage legal trade in the border area, the haat or market near the border was started.
Though the plan was to operate 22 such markets, from 2011 till 2018, only four such haats could be launched. Reportedly, with an apathetic attitude towards such markets from India, the initiative never kicked off with the expected fervor.
The first border market was the one near Baliamari border in Kurigram, which began on Jul 23 2011.
Another haat is supposed to begin operation in Sherpur’s Dalu border this year.
However, relevant quarters are sceptical about the Dalu border market while work over six other such border markets is caught in an impasse.
The plan to increase commodities to be sold from 47 to 60 has also stalled.
The border markets are: Baliamari border in Kurigram, Dolura in Sunamganj, Modhugram in Feni, Tarapur in Brahmanbaria.
There are plans for six more border markets with infrastructure related work done in four.
Reportedly, there’s land related legal complication over two proposed markets in Moulavibazar.
Additional secretary of the commerce ministry, Shafiqul Islam, told Bangla Tribune “The main problem is not getting flat land which is at a convenient spot for both countries; sometimes, land acquisition is plagued by different problems.”
These hindrances are delaying the operation of new border markets, he added.
Stating that people of both India and Bangladesh have interest about border market, commerce minister, Tofail Ahmed, told Bangla Tribune “The Dalu market will begin operation very soon.”
At the border markets, residents of both countries living within five kilometers of the border can sell products and the market sits once a week. But with permission from market management committee, the number of days can easily be increased.
Fifty traders of both countries carry out trade with the list of traders preserved by the market management committee with approval from the additional district magistrate.
Trade is carried out using local currency or through barter system. On each occasion, every buyer can purchase local products worth 200 dollars from the market.