Bangladesh yet to allow reopening of border haats in Meghalaya: Officials

The reopening of two key border haats in Meghalaya—Balat in East Khasi Hills and Kalaichar in South West Garo Hills—remains uncertain as the Bangladesh government has yet to approve their resumption, according to officials.

These haats, located along the zero line of the India-Bangladesh border, were among the first four established in 2012 to formalise small-scale, informal trade between border communities. They have been closed for the past 10 months following the formation of an interim government in Bangladesh.

“The border haats remained closed for the past 10 months since an interim government was installed in Bangladesh,” a senior official from Meghalaya’s Industries department said, noting that Dhaka has not responded to repeated communication from Indian authorities.

The prolonged closure has affected hundreds of vendors and residents who rely on these haats for essential goods and income. Local communities on both sides benefit from the trade of agricultural produce, fish, and other perishables.

“We are living at the edge of our country and border haats have helped us. We get our veggies and fish from Bangladesh while our perishable fruits are exported,” said B Lyngdoh, a vendor from Balat.

Each haat operates under strict rules. Only residents within a 5 km radius can participate, and individuals can trade goods up to a value of USD 200 per market day. Around 500 people from both countries typically attend each haat event weekly.

While officials in Meghalaya continue to await a response, local traders remain hopeful that diplomatic engagement will soon lead to the reopening of the markets. Until then, both economic activity and cross-border relations in the region remain on hold.