BANGLADESH-INDIA BORDER HAATS: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES (original) (raw)

Border Layers: formal and informal markets along the India-Bangladesh Border

The border serves as a site for formal and informal structures of interaction and exchange, with various actors and processes complimenting, contesting and overlapping in their functions and priorities. The fencing of the 4096km border between India and Bangladesh has proceeded at a steady pace over the last decade, and construction is due to begin along one section of the boundary in the state of Meghalaya. Since partition, life on either side of this borderline has involved relatively free movement across the national boundary, but there is strong support in principle on the Indian side for the fencing project. However, local concerns over losses of land and trade opportunities across the border are only being partially assuaged by Delhi. While the national government’s desire to encourage cross-border trade and economic corridors finds local reflection in the much-trumpeted border haats, or cross-border markets, their establishment depends on the border trade having been recognized in the first place. Yet most of this trade occurs without the knowledge of the national government, although with the connivance of its local officials. A close examination of the political processes shaping the operation of this border policy reveals both the national government’s desire to simplify its own edges and the multi-layered and contradictory manner in which this policy finds implementation at the border itself. This paper examines how the multi-layered infrastructure of border management impacts upon both local political processes and cross-border connectivity.

SRINAGAR-CHAGALNAIYA BORDER HAAT AT TRIPURA: A TRADE POCKET, MANAGED AS 'PEACE KIT' BETWEEN INDIA AND BANGLADESH

Researchers World, 2017

India and Bangladesh, the two neighbouring countries are sharing about 4,096 kilometers long international border. Tripura, one of the smaller north eastern States of India, is having 856 kms of Indo-Bangla International Border. This tiny Indian state has an important place in the liberation war of Bangladesh, fought during the year 1971. After 44 years, Tripura is still holding an important role within the process of strengthening the Indo-Bangla Geo Political relations. Centering this small state some important initiatives have been taken by both the countries within a very short span of time. Among those initiatives, establishing 'Border Haats' on the Indo-Bangla International Boundary bordering Tripura can be termed as a unique step which is primarily tagged to boost the economic structure at the local level between two countries. The Border Haats are primarily established to be used as tiny trade pockets between two countries, but on a larger account these haats work like 'Peace Tools' to strengthen the existing bilateral relationship of India and Bangladesh. This work revolves with the ground facts which are oriented with the establishment of Border Haat and its proper function. Views of common people about the impact of International Border and Border Haat have been attached to evaluate the ground situation, oriented with the present role of Tripura in the relation of two countries.

Bangladesh-India border issues: A critical review

I critically review the literature on the Bangladesh-India borderlands to raise a couple of questions: What are the major themes and issues on the Bangladesh-India border? What are the research prospects on the border issues between the two states? Bangladesh and India share a common border of 4096 km, with a range of cross-border issues determining their bilateral relationship and cooperation. Several border issues have not only clouded these relations but have also led to the exchange of fire between the two countries' border security forces over disputed territory. This contribution broadly reviews Bangladesh-India cross-border issues and specifically calls attention to Bangladesh-India cross-border relations in the realm of comparative border research, which will expand our socio-political, economic, geographic and cultural understandings of bordering practices and border policies.

The India–Bangladesh Border Fence: Narratives and Political Possibilities

Journal of Borderlands Studies, 2014

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Bangladesh -India Border Conflict: Challenges and Opportunities

Interdisciplinary Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2024

Geographically adjacent and friendly nations in South Asia are Bangladesh and India. The boundary's approximate 5138 km total length is made up of a 4427 km land border and a 711 km water border. India and Bangladesh have a 4,096-kilometer border. While India has five border provinces, Bangladesh has 32 border districts. Bangladesh and India both have bilateral problems that date back to their inception. Since the early 1990s, the two countries' economic ties have been expanding quickly. Due to border killing by the Indian Border Security Force, human trafficking, and other concerns between these two nations, the border issue has taken center stage. (BSF). The boundary between Bangladesh and India, according to the US-based news organization "Global Post," is the worst border line in the world. They are acting erratically near the boundary, killing, kidnapping Bangladeshis, violating human rights, and committing push-in offenses, among other things. The primary sources used in this study are scholarly books, scholarly journals, research papers, and other tertiary sources that are pertinent to the topic. Although the research is qualitative, a quantitative approach is also taken. This essay looks at the current problems surrounding border killing along the land border between India and Bangladesh, finding its causes and contributing factors as well as its detrimental effects on bilateral relations. The paper also includes a number of suggestions for preventing the issue of border killings along the land border between India and Bangladesh.

Incremental Dynamics of Resolving India-Bangladesh Border Issues: Re-thinking the Past to Construct the Future

2014

Abbreviations vii CHAPTER-1: Introduction and Background 1.1 It would not be fair not to acknowledge the contribution of friends and students at ISS; Narayanan, Nandini and Rakesh who were the few companions at ISS during last two months of my stay at ISS while others left for their field works. Our cooking together, eating together, chatting together and of course academic discussions were worth acknowledging. My graduation college junior and my MA course friend at ISS, Pratheep was an inspiration for my academic development. He as well as Narayanan was more than prompt to give me feedback on my paper whenever I required. Last but not the least, I also acknowledge the assistance provided to me by Mr. Goyal, my office secretary in proof reading and formatting of the research paper document.

India–Bangladesh Land Border: A Flawed Inheritance and a Problematic Future

Strategic Analysis, 2011

I ndia shares 4095 kilometres of land and river boundaries with Bangladesh. The border is porous, criss-crossed by rivers and hilly and mountainous terrain which has made the guarding of this border extremely difficult. Border is a political construction. People living in the villages adjacent to the border do not subscribe to any concept of nationality or recognise the boundaries of the nation state. For the people living in the 'borderlands', a non-existent line bars them from leading the natural existence they have led for centuries. In spite of the barriers their daily life takes them across the border to earn a living, whether as hired labourers or rickshaw pullers or accessing the medical facilities available across the border. The temperature of political relations between the two countries has an impact on the 'borderland'-which, however, has its own dynamic dictated by the security compulsions, border economics and activities that are intrinsic to the livelihood of the people living near the border. An issue of adverse possession has also emerged as a major flash point between the two countries, and in 2001 led to the killing of 16 BSF soldiers. Out of this vast boundary that India shares with Bangladesh, only 6.5 kilometres are yet to be demarcated.