Border markets miss schedule

Border markets between Bangladesh and India will not start today as the Indian side is taking too much time to set the modus operandi in this regard, commerce ministry officials say.
Earlier on February 2, Bangladesh and India decided to launch the markets at three selected border points from Pahela Baishakh, the Bangla New Year, to facilitate trade between the people living in remote frontiers.
"Bangladesh has completed the necessary formalities and is ready to launch such markets for the benefits of those who are living on either side of the border," Commerce Minister Faruk Khan told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said his ministry has also finalised the modus operandi of running the border markets. "We sent it to India about a month ago and are still waiting for their response," Faruk said, terming opening of the markets a useful idea as it would increase trade volume between the two neighbours.
The minister hopes the Indian side will complete all formalities and the markets will be launched soon.
Farun Khan and Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter elaborately discussed the issue at a meeting at the commerce ministry in February. They decided to start the markets on a pilot basis on three border points on Pahela Baishakh.
The border points are between Sonarhat under Goain Ghat in Sylhet and Linkhat in India; between Lawar Ghar under Taherpur upazila in Sunamganj and Kalia Char in India; and between Balia Bari under Bajitpur upazila in Kurigram and Naliakata in India.
The markets will be set up encompassing 50 metres of areas on both sides of the border from the respective zero point.
Border markets are much expected among the people on both sides of the border living in remote enclaves and hilly areas, as they find it difficult to buy and sell products needed for everyday life.
The commodities to be sold in the border markets are local agricultural products, fresh and dry fish, poultry, spices, forest products, dairy, and products of local cottage industries including furniture, utensils, and iron agricultural equipment.
According to a decision of the meeting, both sides would put in place special mechanism including barbed-wire fence to make sure shoppers return to their own countries.
The customers and traders will need no visa to enter the border markets.
The decision to open border market follows an Indo-Bangladesh summit which in a joint communiqué agreed to establish border markets on a pilot basis in selected areas to allow cross-border trade in specific products in accordance with the regulations agreed upon by both governments.
The joint communiqué was signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January.
The two countries share a border of 4,096 kilometres. In 2008-09, India imported products worth $277 million from Bangladesh, while Bangladesh imported products worth $2,843 million from India, according to the commerce ministry.