Imports from B’desh to Tripura increase, exports largely decline: Minister

Imports from Bangladesh into Tripura increased but exports from the northeastern state of India to the neighbouring country substantially declined, state Industries and Commerce Minister Santana Chakma told the Assembly on Thursday.

Answering questions by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury, the Minister said that Tripura imported various commodities worth Rs 636. 72 crore from Bangladesh in the 2022-23 financial year and the volume increased to Rs 703.67 in 2023-24 and till February of the current fiscal (2024-25) it was Rs 625.14 crore.

The minister told the House that Tripura exported various items valued at Rs 121.37 crore in the 2022-23 financial year, Rs 12.31 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 50.07 crore till February of the outgoing fiscal (2024-25).

Chakma said that out of nine Land Customs Stations (LCSs) along 856 km India-Bangladesh border with Tripura, eight are now functional and trade as well as cross border movement of people taking place through these eight LCS.

She said that there are two 'Border Haats' that were set up along the India-Bangladesh border with Tripura.

These are Srinagar (south Tripura)-Purba Madhugram (Bangladesh) in south Tripura district and Kasba (Bangladesh)-Kamalasagar (Tripura) in Sepahijala district.

Kamalasagar-Kasba ‘Border Haat’ was operational from June 2015. But due to Covid-19 related restrictions from March 2020, the ‘Border Haat’ was closed, the minister said.

“With mutual consultation between the officials of India and Bangladesh, Kamalasagar-Kasba ‘Border Haat’ is to be reopened very shortly."

According to the minister, the Srinagar-Purba Madhugram ‘Border Haat’ was operational from January, 2015.

Due to Covid-19 related restrictions from March 2020, it was closed.

With mutual consent of India and Bangladesh, Srinagar-Purba Madhugram ‘Border Haat’ was reopened on May 9, 2023 but it was again closed on November 4 last year.

In the weekly border market, on an average, at least 25 vendors, including women from both the countries of the border areas, sell their local products and various items.

Despite unprecedented unrest and violence in Bangladesh since last year, trade between Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and the neighbouring country has not stopped.

Four northeastern states -- Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) -- share a 1,880 km border with Bangladesh.

To boost trade, tourism and other economic activities, the Central government has set up two Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the border in Akhaura (in West Tripura district) and Srimantapur in Sepahijala district.

The multi-purpose ICPs were also set up in Meghalaya's Dawki-Tamabil and Assam's Sutarkandi-Sheola trading points.

After the Petrapole (India)-Benapole (Bangladesh) ICP in West Bengal, the Agartala-Akhaura ICP is the second largest trading point along the India-Bangladesh border in terms of value of annual trade.

Bangladesh exports various fish, cement, food items, construction materials, steel sheets, PVC pipes, soft drinks, readymade garments, melamine and cotton waste to Tripura and other northeastern states, while northeastern states export commodities such as broken stone, maize, agarbatti, fresh ginger, dry chillies, vegetable seeds, various spices and wood apple among others.