BORDER(LESS) HAAT

The partition of Bengal in 1947 had a negative impact on the social, economic and cultural lives of the people of India and Bangladesh who had, till then, coexisted as natural neighbors sharing not only geographical proximity but also various social, cultural and ethnic ties. The disruption of pre-partition ties led to cross-border crimes such as the smuggling of arms, narcotics, cattle, informal trade, illegal migration, and trafficking of women and children. In order to address these issues and to facilitate people-to-people connectivity, the Governments of India and Bangladesh agreed to establish ‘Border Haats’ where people of the two nations could meet and trade in essential commodities produced locally. Border haats have rejuvenated old family ties that were disconnected after the Radcliffe line was drawn during the partition time.  The initiative of establishing border haats located precisely on the Zero line is working to unbuild the wall by ensuring the meeting and trading of duty-free products between the people of the two nations. The ‘border haats’ are creating apertures in the divider wall between India and Bangladesh that was created because of the Bengal partition. The four ‘border haats’ are already operational. Additional (fifty plus) locations have been proposed which will eventually make the border wall more permeable.

The border is a way of reinforcing antagonism that doesn’t even exist. People often render the border area as a site of criminalization and fear, but it has immense potential to elevate it as a site of creativity and sharing. This project refers to exploring the Mymensingh-Meghalaya border area from this perspective and designing a border haat that can create an impact beyond commercial purposes. Except for the haat days that are observed once or twice a week, the rest of the days can be utilized by accommodating different functions to ensure skill sharing, health facilities, training opportunities, creating awareness and so on. These small initiatives can have a far-reaching impact on building a stable relationship between India and Bangladesh and also help resolve the gaps in bigger issues. The physical barrier is one way to comprehend the division that occurs between the two nations, although rather arbitrarily. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to understand that the border is replicated in various ways—physically, socially, and psychologically—in other areas of both countries. This project searches the way to mitigate this visible and invisible barrier solely through architectural interventions. It aims to explore and develop the role of architecture as a tool with multidimensional influences on political, economic, and social fronts. If architecture can still manage circumstances where there is a social trauma, to include memories and communicate feelings, then this project was started. It attempts to take sides on the problem as well as to propose a viable resolution to the issue.