Tripura: India-Bangladesh border haat is likely to reopen in July

The Kamalasagar-Tarapur border haat, located in the Sepahijala district of Tripura, is anticipated to reopen by the end of July after being shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said an official on June 7.

Border haats serve as weekly markets along the India-Bangladesh border, facilitating trade between vendors from both countries. 

Speaking exclusively with India Today NE, Deputy Collector of Sepahijala district, Suman Rakshit said the border haat management committees from both India and Bangladesh held a meeting to discuss the possibilities of reopening the Kamalasagar-Tarapur border haat. 

''The committee from the Bangladesh side was led by the ADM of Brahmanbaria district, while the Tripura side was represented by ADM Jayanta De,'' he added.

In Tripura, there are two border haats: the Srinagar border haat in the South district of Tripura and the Kamalasagar-Tarapur border haat in the Sepahijala district. 

Recently, the Srinagar border haat reopened after a four-year hiatus.

The official also mentioned that following a joint visit to the border haat, officials observed its poor condition, rendering it unsuitable for immediate reopening. 

"After extensive discussions, we have decided that on June 14th, two engineers from Bangladesh and two engineers from our state will inspect the border haat for maintenance purposes. The Bangladeshi authorities have put forth certain demands, such as increased security, which will be presented to the government. Upon receiving approval, we will take the necessary steps. Following this, we will schedule another meeting to determine the reopening date of the border haats. Our plan is to reopen them within the next two months," he added.

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