Bangladesh and Mizoram, a northeastern state of India, are set to identify potential sites for border 'haats' as Bangladesh's commerce minister Tipu Munshi is now on a three-day visit there, Indian media reported on Saturday.
According to it, Mr Munshi along with eight members of Bangladesh delegation were received by state commerce and industries minister Dr R Lalthangliana and other officials at Lengpui Airport, the lone airport in Mizoram, state officials said.
Quoting them, The Nagaland Post said during the visit, Bangladesh delegates would have a joint inspection of a few possible sites for starting a border trade or haat (market) between Mizoram and Bangladesh along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
He was scheduled to visit the proposed border haat at Silsury village in western Mizoram's Mamit district as well as an integrated check post at Kawrpuichhuah in Lunglei district in the southern part of the state on the Indo-Bangladesh border along with Lalthangliana on Saturday, it reported.
The Bangladesh minister would also visit Reiek, a mountainous tourist spot in Mamit district, about 29 kilometres (km) from state capital Aizawl on Sunday, the report said.
He will also meet Chief Minister Zoramthanga and address a press conference before he finally leaves for Kolkata on Monday, they added.
Mizoram shares a 318- km international border with Bangladesh. At least four border haats are planned to be set up along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border besides the integrated check post at Kawrpuichhuah to facilitate border trade between Mizoram and Bangladesh.
In fiscal year 2021, Bangladesh imported goods worth $9.7 billion from India and exported over $1.4 billion.
Border Haat between the two countries is a weekly marketplace jointly organised by the governments of Bangladesh and India.
In addition to serve as the shopping facility for locals and tourists, border haat is also a reunion spot for people from the two countries.
