Balat, Feb 17: Truckloads of onions are making its way into the remote Balat area of South West Khasi Hills district every week, around the time of the start of weekly openings of the border haat in what local organizations say is a huge smuggling racket being carried out under the very nose of customs and border authorities.
This week, the Balat unit of the Garo Students Union posted a video showing a column of mahindra pik up trucks fully laden with hundreds of sacks of onion snaking its way into the Balat border area.
This has raised eyebrows because Balat does not have any major business transaction nor a population that requires such a large scale market. Also, onions, like sugar, are a restricted commodity that cannot be traded unless authorized by the government and can only be permitted for export through Land Custom stations by which the country generates revenue.
The opening of the Balat border Haat was primarily meant to boost the economy of the local population by sale of locally available products. Sale of jackfruits, turmeric, ginger or other locally available items, including wood crafts are the main sale at border haats, be it Balat in Khasi Hills or Kalaichar in South West Garo Hills district and In Voice receipts are mandatory to be made out by Customs for any sale of items. No taxes are levied on vendors for the sale of local produce.
“When primary goal of the border haat is for sale of local items, where does the onion figure? It is a product that is not locally grown but imported from other states of the country. One cannot rule out illegal export of the item,” points out the Balat GSU
The allegations seem to have substance given that onions are one of the most expensive vegetables in Bangladesh that imports almost all of its requirements from neighbouring countries.
There are allegations levelled by locals that those operating the border haat are making out low invoice receipts to subdue the actual price and size of the consignments being sold to buyers from the neighbouring country taking advantage of the border haat.
“Earlier, traders at the haat were from the Balat region itself, but now we are seeing big dealers and traders coming from as far as Guwahati to the border. Something is not right,” says locals.
