Tripura resumed border trade with neighbouring Bangladesh despite protests by some locals, who fear the step could result spread of Coronavirus from across the border.
Trucks carrying cement and some other items crossed the Mohurighat Integrated Check Point (ICP) in Belonia in Tripura South district on Monday amid tight security as worried residents staged a protest and urged the government to postpone the same till the lockdown is lifted. Some of them also blocked the road halting movement of trucks for a few hours before police and government officials rushed there and intervened.
Sources said officials of Tripura South district assured the protesters that adequate safety measures were being taken but they argued that they were scared as Feni, Comilia and Bramanbaria areas in Bangladesh side had reported COVID-19 positive cases. The local people also said that they were in fear that, as the Muhurighat integrated check post area is thickly populated and very near to the Belonia town, there was the possibility of infection from Bangladeshi truck drivers and other people involved in the import and export business. Tripura South is in 'green zone' for COVID-19 so far.
Tripura had closed all the ICPs to prevent the spread of Coronavirus before the country-wide lockdown was clamped by the Centre.
Public fear about fresh infection increased after 150 BSF persons and their family members living in two camps in Dhalai district tested COVID-19 positive since May 2.
Tripura had declared itself as "COVID-19 free state" on April 29 after two persons, who had tested COVID-19 positive recovered and were discharged. But the shock was in store as the BSF camps saw outbreak of the virus.