The Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Anand Sharma, said on Thursday that an estimated $20 million worth trade will take place annually between India and Bangladesh through the ‘Border Haats'.

Mr Sharma and his Bangladesh counterpart Mr Muhammad Faruk Khan will jointly inaugurate a Border Haat at Kalaichar, West Garo Hill District in Meghalaya on Saturday, an official statement said.

“The opening of Border Haats shall herald a new chapter of cooperation in India-Bangladesh trade. I am confident that it will make the border villages on both sides more prosperous through improved market accessibility for their locally produced goods,” Mr Sharma said.

The commodities traded will include vegetables, food items, fruits, spices, bamboo, bamboo grass, broom stick, local cottage industry items, small agriculture household implements, garments, melamine products, processed food and fruit juice.

The list of items allowed for trade through Border Haats may be expanded/modified by mutual consent, the statement said.

Initially, the Border Haats as pilot projects, will be opened at Baliamari (Kurigram District, Bangladesh)-Kalaichar (West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India) and at Lauwaghar (Dalora) (Sunamganj District, Bangladesh)-Balat (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India).

In addition to the Border Haats, both sides are working on several projects to improve trade infrastructure and connectivity.

The Border Management Department of Ministry of Home Affairs in India is developing seven Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) on India – Bangladesh Border viz; Petrapole, Agartala, Dawki, Hili, Chandrabangha, Sutarkhandi and Kawarpuchiah.

Further, India is also developing infrastructure at 8 Land Custom Stations along the Indo-Bangladesh border at a cost of Rs 108.19 crore.

The LCSs are Borosora, Dalu, Ghasupara, Mahadipur, Hilli, Phullbari, Srimantpur and Gojadanga. The total projected cost of all the ICPs and Land Custom Stations being developed is $125 million.

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