Agartala, Mar 31 (UNI) After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government in August last year, exports from Tripura to Bangladesh have substantially declined, while import volume remains unchanged, said Industries and Commerce Minister of Tripura Santana Chakma on Monday.
She said Tripura imported goods from Bangladesh valued at Rs 625.14 crore in the current financial year (till February), Rs 703.67 in 2023-24, and Rs 636.72 crore in 2022-23. However, the export recorded only Rs 50.07 crore till February of 2024-25 fiscal against
Rs 121.37 crore in 2022-23 and Rs 12.31 crore in 2023-24.
Although eight out of nine Land Customs Stations (LCSs) along Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura have all modern facilities, formal trade has not yet picked up to the expected level. To prevent informal trade between two countries, India set up two Border Haats in South Tripura and Sepahijala district a decade ago, and one of them is still closed since COVID19 hit in 2020.
Srinagar Border Haat in the south Tripura district was re-opened in November last year, having been closed last year after political turmoil in Bangladesh. But the business as well as the popularity of the market has not evoked satisfactorily.
Half of the registered traders from both sides of the border remained absent from the weekly market day. Apprehending poor response, the administrations of both countries have not yet decided to re-open Kasba Border Haat in Tripura’s Sepahijala district.
According to sources, despite a decline in exports from Tripura, huge quantity of sugar, medicine, cosmetics, and various edible items have allegedly been going to Bangladesh with the help of the villagers residing along the border daily.
Report said Bangladesh exports various fish, cement, food items, construction materials, steel sheets, PVC pipes, soft drinks, ready made garments, melamine and cotton waste to Tripura and other northeastern states, while Indian states export commodities like broken stone, maize, Agarbatti, fresh ginger, dry chilies, vegetable seeds, various spices and wood apple among other things.
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