Indo-Bangla joint border committee

SHILLONG, JAN 13: Meghalaya (India) and Bangladesh proposed to constitute district-wise ‘joint-committees’ to look into the issues related to the border and management of the border haats. The  proposed Joint Border Coordination Committee (JBCC) and Joint Border Haat Management Committee (JHMC) will comprise officials from the civil administrations of both the countries

“We proposed to have a Joint Border Coordination Committee (JBCC) and Joint Border Haat Management Committee (JHMC) comprising of civil administrations of both the countries,” East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal told newsmen after the Bilateral Conference between Meghalaya (India) and Bangaldesh that concluded on Tuesday.

Goyal informed that these proposals, which were agreed by both the parties, will be submitted to the Government of India and Government of Bangladesh.

On the JBCC, Goyal said, “Our proposal is that why not institutionalize this kind of set up (JBCC) in the form of civil administrations like the DCs, SPs and officials from departments of revenue, narcotic, custom and others.” According to him, at present, such committee is restricted to border security forces only where they have regular flag meetings.

“However there are certain issues which are beyond the jurisdiction of the border security forces and can be better coordinated if the civil authorities are involved. So the idea is basically to give institutionalize sort of set up,” Goyal said.

Goyal informed that the committee can meet twice a year and in case of emergency they can meet on a short notice also.  The committee will however also include BSF and Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB), he said.

“This could be a better channel wherein the DCs are in a better position to solicit information from respective counterparts on the thinking of their government on certain issues related to the border rather than keeping it pending,” Goyal asserted.

With regards to the border haats, Goyal said there is no joint committee and at present both countries (India and Bangladesh) are having their own separate border haats management committees which only look after issues related to their sides only.

“Therefore, we proposed to have a joint border haat management committee (JBHMC) in view that there are certain joint issues relating to improving of the infrastructure, sanitation/hygiene, foreign exchange, timing which is better coordinated jointly,” Goyal stated.

Goyal also informed that the meeting also resolved to propose the increase in the number of vendors from the existing 25 to 50.  According to him, these are registered vendors who are allowed to do the selling in the border haats.

Informing that the issue to increase the radius from 5km to 10 km for border haats was also proposed, Goyal  said, “We proposed to the government that instead of 5km which was thought it was less and not able to capture entire market, so if it is increased to 10 km, the vendors will get more business and more items can be traded.”- By Our Reporter