AGARTALA, July 23 - The India-Bangla Joint Committee on Border Haats has suggested setting up of six more Border Haats in Northeastern States bordering Bangladesh, according to an official statement.
Timeline for setting up six more Border Haats that had earlier been agreed by both sides and the roadmap for further expansion of Border Haats were finalised in the first meeting of Joint Committee on Border Haats.
The first meeting of the India-Bangla Joint Committee on Border Haats was held on July 22 and 23 at State Guest House here. The Joint Committee visited the Border Haat at Kamalasagar in Sepahijala district of Tripura, opposite Brahmanbaria in Bangladesh on July 22 appreciated their vibrant functioning and noted the need for improvement of infrastructure, it said.
In the meeting, both sides noted the positive impact of Border Haats on the livelihoods of the people living in areas adjoining the Haats, according to a joint statement.
Both sides had extensive discussion on a variety of issues related to Border Haats including review of operation of the four functional Border Haats and suggestions for improvement.
Of the total six proposed Border Haats, there will be two Border Haats in Tripura, while Meghalaya will get two in order to improve socio-economic condition of the border people through bilateral trade, said an official of the Tripura Government on condition of anonymity.
�Both sides were impressed by the trade volume through Border Haats and that was reflected in the two-day deliberation. They have also got feedback from the traders at the Border Haats�, said the official.
In the meeting, it was agreed that the next meeting would be held in Bangladesh on mutually agreed dates.
While Addl Secretary of Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Government Md Safikol Islam led the Bangladeshi team, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Commerce, Delhi, AS Bhalla led the Indian delegation in the meeting.
Earlier, the joint team met Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in his office here on Sunday and briefed him about the objective of the India-Bangla Joint Committee on Border Haats.
