Barbed-wire fence fails to separate their on Nabobarsho
They were neither dressed in bright, colourful clothes nor singing Rabindranath Tagore’s ageless Esho he Baishakh in celebration of the Bangla New Year. Their day did
not start with a platter of Panta bhat and fried Hilsa fish, the most sought-after menu of urban people on Pahela Baishakh. But all the faces were glowing with happiness.
With the first sun of 1419 rising on the horizon, a feeling of joy swept over them at the thought of meeting those from whom they were separated by a man-made border.
It was at Omarkhana border in Panchagarh sadar upazila on Saturday, the first day of Baishakh. Thousands of Bangla-speaking people had a get-together from two sides of
the fence, though only for four hours from noon.
Scorching heat or barbed wires could not spoil the reunion.
People from different districts of Bangladesh and India, especially those who cannot afford to visit their relatives on the other side through legal procedure,
gathered on the Indo-Bangla border.
They talked and exchanged foods, cigarettes, pens, clothes, towels and of course friendly greetings. Many failed to fight back tears seeing their kin.
Those who came here on Saturday said as residents of one country before 1947 and creation of India and Pakistan, people of the region were related in various ways.
One of them is Dharmakanta Roy. Resident of a village in Panchagarh, the 75-year-old saw his daughter Shuryamukhi Roy, 55, who lives in Bhimvita village of Jalpaiguri,
India, after around 14 years.
Aisha Begum, 56, of Domer upazila in Nilphamari came to meet her brothers and sisters, all living in the neighbouring country. “I talked with them face to face. Though
it was for a while, I’m happy… very happy,” she said.
Nurul Haque Prodhan, 60, of Jhotiakhali village at Shiliguri sub-division in India saw his nephew Golam Rabbani, 45, who lives in Notun Bosti village, Panchagarh. “I
was waiting for the day all through the year,” he said.
Ananta Roy, 35, of Shiliguri in India came to meet his father while Ananta Bala, 32, of Farabari village in Thakurgaon to see her siblings living in Jalpaiguri.
Some were frustrated, failing to find their relatives.
Keshab Kumar Roy, 38, of Shakoya village in Panchagarh came to see his elder sister Koruna Rani, 52, of Holdibari village in Jalpaiguri. But she was not found.
Showing some gifts, including saree, and some food items, he told The Daily Star, “If I could give these, she would’ve become very happy”.
Mithu Roy is president of Rajganj Thana committee of Congress party, Jalpaiguri. “Following the 1947 partition, relatives of many became residents of a different
country. I’m one of them,” he said.
He urged both Border Guard Bangladesh and Indian Border Security Force to allow the reunion on Pahela Baishakh every year.
Major Ahmed, deputy commanding officer for 18 BGB Battalion, said, “We made the arrangement through discussion with the BSF and local administration of the both
countries.”
Preferring not to be named, two members of Khalpara BSF Battalion said the arrangement was made unofficially, considering public sentiment.
On Saturday, similar reunion was held in Dabri-Betna border area under Haripur upazila, Thakurgaon from 8:30am to 2:30pm, BGB and local sources said.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
