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First “border market” between Bangladesh and India opens
by Nozrul Islam
Only local products are on sale in the new venue, which should generate trade worth US$ 20 million. Designed to improve local living conditions, the move marks a rapprochement between the two countries.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladesh Commerce Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan and his Indian counterpart Anand Sharma formally inaugurated the first border market (haat) at Kalaichar in West Garo Hills district (northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya) and Baliamari, Kurigram district in Bangladesh, to make border villages on both sides more prosperous through improved market accessibility to locally produced goods. It is estimated that trade worth US million will take place annually from the Border Haats once they are opened.
"The commodities traded shall be locally produced vegetables, food items, fruits, spices; minor local forest produce like bamboo, bamboo grass, and broom stick,” as well as “small locally produced agriculture household implements” and “locally-produced garments," said an official of the Indian ministry of commerce.
The border market represents a new chapter in the trading relations between the two nations, which had been cut by the 1971 war that led to the birth Bangladesh. In the past two years, the two sides have been tried to renew their ties.
The market opening follows a joint census in India and Bangladesh (14-18 July) to determine the number of enclaves on each other territories. Bangladesh has 111 Indian enclaves whilst India has 51 Bangladeshi enclaves.
The move is politically more significant than it is socially. Enclaves, which have always favoured smuggling, rebel crossing and illegal migrants, have seen tensions rise because over time residents have lost contact with their country of origin without exercising any rights in the country that surrounds the enclaves. On various occasions, host countries have tried to repatriate them.