DHAKA, April 26, 2022 (BSS) - India-Bangladesh Border Haat at Balat, belongs to the frontier at East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya province in India  and Lauwaghar of Sunamganj district in Bangladesh was reopened today after more than two years of closure due to COVID-19 pandemic.  
  
The Joint Border Haat Management Committee decided to reopen this Haat in a meeting held on April 19, an Indian High Commission press release said here today. 

The Committee also decided to reopen two more border haats at Ryngku at East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya and Bagan Bari at Duara Bazar in Sunamganj on May 12 next and Nalikata at South-West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya and Sayedabad area at Tahirpur Upazila in Sunamganj on May 16 respectively, it added. 
 
Currently, India and Bangladesh have established seven Border Haats while nine new such frontier markets are in the pipeline. 

Border Haats between the two countries are ready markets that have been established to enable local residents on both sides of the border to market and consume their ‘local products’. 

According to studies and on-ground reviews, the High Commission said Border Haats have created employment opportunities for the local community, especially for women and youth, who have emerged as providers of various services: transporters, vendors, workers and food stall owners. 

It has also provided additional source of disposable income for the bordering community and enhanced people to people connect.

Border Haats are vibrant centers promoting people to people connectivity, where local community from Bangladesh and India gets an opportunity to sell locally produced agricultural and horticultural products, small agriculture and household goods, minor forest products, fresh and dry fish, cottage industry items, wooden furniture, handloom and handicraft items.