Local bazaars allowed at India-Bangladesh border at Meghalaya

New Delhi, July 3 (PTI) People on both sides of the
India-Bangladesh border at Meghalaya, a north-eastern Indian
state, can now organise haats (rural bazaars) as the bilateral
agreement to this effect has become operational.
The two nations signed the agreement last October.
Locally produced vegetables, food items, fruits, spices,
minor local forest produce like bamboo, bamboo grass and
broom stick can be traded at these haats.
The border haats will be at Baliamari–Kalaichar and
Lauwaghar–Balat towns. People from the two sides will be able
to move across the border to the haats on specific days and
time, as decided by the authorities.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in the
Indian Commerce Ministry, which notified the arrangement, said
sale of locally produced agriculture household implements -
dao, plough, axe, spade and chisel will also be allowed at
these bazaars.
"It (the notification) operationlises the provisions of
Memorandum of Understanding of October 2010 between India and
Bangladesh..." the DGFT said.
Vendors selling products at the haats will have to be
residents of the area within 5 km radius, it added.
They may offer immediate consumption items of snack foods
and juices, as may be allowed by the Haat Management
Committee.