Bangladesh and India plan to set up 16 border haats to increase trade
South Asia
Bangladesh and India are considering the establishment of 16 new border haats to increase the volume of trade between the two countries, said a senior official of the Indian foreign ministry.
The new border haats, whose establishment is currently under discussion, will be located in Mizoram and West Bengal. New border haats may improve access to markets and economic opportunities for border communities while reducing informal trade across the border, said Smita Pant, a senior diplomat in the Ministry of External Affairs reports the Live Mint.
According to Pant, the two countries have eight haats operational, which are located across a number of northeastern Indian states like Tripura and Meghalaya.
The two countries have stepped up infrastructure building to improve connectivity, with some initiatives funded with support from Japan.
The establishment of the Matabari Port in Bangladesh by 2027 is also expected to allow for the easier flow of goods from India to Bangladesh and onwards to Asian markets.
The three countries are working together on the "Bay of Bengal Northeast Industrial Value Chain Concept", which aims to attract manufacturing to India's Northeast and Bangladesh.
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