Jalpaiguri, 18 July (H.S.) Fresh violence has erupted in Bangladesh, especially in Gopalganj region. Though Gopalganj is located far from the Indian border, residents living near the India-Bangladesh border in South Berubari Gram Panchayat area of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal are gripped with fear, recalling past incidents of attempted cross-border infiltration.

As per information, South Berubari panchayat area shares a 29-kilometer-long border with Bangladesh, of which 16 kilometers remain completely unfenced. Many villages including Nawanbasti, Naljowa Para, Childanga, Baruipara, Bangram, and Daker Kamat fall within this stretch.

The administration has initiated land acquisition procedures to construct a barbed-wire fence along the open border. While residents of the 13-kilometer stretch have agreed to give up their land, those living along the remaining 3 kilometers are refusing. They fear that fencing will take away their agricultural land. As a result, the full border fencing project has stalled.

The recent unrest in Bangladesh has intensified the anxiety of border residents. Minati Roy, a resident of Budhirjot village, said, “We’ve seen social media videos of the violent situation in Gopalganj. We can’t sleep at night. The border near us is open, and we fear that Bangladeshi miscreants could easily cross into India under the cover of darkness. We urge the authorities to build a fence urgently.”

Another villager Prashant Roy added, “Bangladesh has been unstable since last year. In August 2024, we witnessed groups of Bangladeshi minorities trying to enter India through the open Childanga border. Now, with unrest rising again, we are extremely anxious. The border must be secured immediately.”

Sumitra Dev Adhikari, head of South Boro Haldibari Gram Panchayat, said, “Although many residents have agreed to land acquisition for fencing, villagers in Bangram, Daker Kamat, and Maninga Para are still unwilling. Several meetings have been held with them, but the issue remains unresolved.”

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey