The work for two more border haats, along the Tripura-Bangladesh border at Kamalpur and Raghna, are expected to begin very soon, as the government of both countries has accorded sanction and the sites were already finalised, said Minister of Youth Affairs of Tripura Tinku Roy on Sunday while addressing a gathering here on the occasion of Independence Day of Bangladesh organised by Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh.

Roy said two existing border haats at Srinagar of South Tripura and Kamalasagar of Sepahijala district have not yet been resumed, which were closed due to Covid19 since 2020.

Similarly, the work for newly proposed border haats has also been delayed due to covid pandemic.

However, very soon the existing haats will be re-opened and the work for the proposed border haats would begin.

“Both the border haats in Tripura were functioning smoothly and have contributed not only in boosting the local economy as well as strengthened people-to-people tie between the two countries for last few years. We want to strengthen relations further of trade, commerce, culture, and human interaction between two countries,” Roy pointed out.

He stated that the trade volume between Tripura and Bangladesh has increased to Rs 600 Cr in five years and in the last financial year Tripura exported goods to Bangladesh to the tune of Rs 250 Cr, which was almost nil before 2018.

“Our Prime Minister is keen to strengthen relationships with Bangladesh and that’s why Indian government is investing in infrastructure development of Bangladesh. With the support of Modiji bridge over River Feni connecting Tripura with Chittagong seaport of Bangladesh is constructed and Agartala-Akhura railway line is expected to be operational in next few months,” Roy underlined.

To boost the economy of both India and Bangladesh, the first SEZ will come up within two years at Sabroom of South Tripura, which will facilitate the entire Northeastern region to get easily connected with South East Asian countries.

The trade hub would be shifted to Sabroom, only 70 kilometres from Chittagong seaport, which is now about 1600 kilometres from Haldia port of West Bengal, the minister added.

Recalling the Liberation War of Bangladesh, Roy pointed out that Tripura had provided shelter to about 20 lakh Bangladeshi people during 1971 war when Tripura’s population was only 15 lakh and added, “Almost every family here accommodated the refugees considering them as own people and still we are having the same feeling to Bangladesh. We set the quality of sweets with Brahmanbaria Misti (sweet), the taste of Hilsha fish with Hilsha from River Padma, Sharee with Dhaka Jamdani so on and so forth.”

Agency News:IBNS/UNI