Despite ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the ‘Border Haat’ at Srinagar in south Tripura and Purba Madhugram in Bangladesh resumed operations on Tuesday, with traders from both sides participating as scheduled. The weekly market, a significant economic and cultural exchange point between the two countries, saw reduced customer turnout due to the irregularities caused by the violence in Bangladesh since June.
An official from the South Tripura district administration reported that 27 traders from both Bangladesh and Tripura attended the market, offering a variety of goods ranging from agricultural products to household items. However, the number of customers was noticeably lower than usual. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed this decline to the sporadic functioning of the ‘Border Haat’ in recent months.
The market had not been held on August 6 following a request from Bangladeshi authorities. A senior official from Tripura’s Industries and Commerce Department indicated that, despite the challenges, the ‘Border Haat’ is expected to operate weekly on Tuesdays moving forward.
While the Srinagar-Purba Madhugram ‘Border Haat’ has managed to reopen, Tripura’s second ‘Border Haat’ located at Kasba in Bangladesh and Kamlasagar in Tripura’s Sepahijala district remains shuttered. This market has been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, causing significant economic losses to the residents of border villages who rely on the market for their livelihoods. Plans to reopen the Kasba-Kamlasagar ‘Border Haat’ this month were in place but have now been thrown into uncertainty due to the current situation in Bangladesh.
In response to the unrest across the border, the Meghalaya government has also taken precautionary measures by suspending the operations of all ‘Border Haats’ along the India-Bangladesh border. The Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills district issued an order suspending all such markets within the district until further notice, as per a directive from the state’s Commerce and Industries Department. This decision reflects broader concerns about the stability of cross-border trade amidst the ongoing troubles in Bangladesh.
