Work to install fences along unfenced stretches along the India-Bangladesh border has come to a halt in yet another location, this time, in South Dinajpur district, reportedly because of objections raised by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

Residents of Sukdebpur in Malda, where similar work has halted after the armed BGB personnel allegedly threatened workers engaged by the CPWD to put up fences, alleged that Bangladeshis looted their crop ready for harvest and damaged a pump set near the border on Friday night.

Sources said that in Sibrampur, a bordering area in the Balurghat block of South Dinajpur, the BSF took up the task of installing fences along an unfenced stretch a couple of days back.

“The work has come to a halt as the BGB objected to it. There is an underlying tension in the area and both the BSF and BGB have intensified patrolling. We are worried because there can be infiltration or other illegal activities through this area,” said villager Baidyanath Tudu.

On Saturday morning, Sumanta Biswas, the inspector-in-charge of Balurghat police station, visited the spot with a police team. He spoke with BSF officers and locals.

In Sukdebpur, a village near the India-Bangladesh border in Kaliachak-III block of Malda, villagers alleged that Bangladeshi criminals looted crops from their land and damaged a pump-set used for irrigation.

“As there is no fence, the criminals walked into our land and looted wheat and other crops which were ready for harvest. They also damaged our pump set. We want the BSF to start the installation of fences and we are ready to lend them support,” said
a villager.

The BSF, sources said, have asked villagers to be patient and abstain from foraying near the border. “They don’t want fresh flare-ups,” said a source.

In Mekhliganj of Cooch Behar, where villagers of Andaran-Kharakharia put up fences along a 2km unfenced stretch near Dahagram-Angarpota, the sole Bangladeshi enclave connected to the mainland of the neighboring country through Tinbigha corridor, no work was carried out on Saturday.

On Friday, villagers refused to listen to objections raised by the BGB and installed fences on their own. The BSF stood guard as they worked throughout the day.

“The iron angles we were using for fencing finished. That is why, we didn’t work on Saturday. But we will get iron angles soon and put fences along the rest 1.5km stretch,” said villager Anup Roy.

Smuggler attack

In Malda, the BSF foiled an attempt to smuggle cough syrups to Bangladesh early on Saturday and thwarted an attack with sticks and sharp weapons on them by firing two rounds. The smugglers fled. The BSF team then searched the spot and found 572 cough syrup bottles, a torch and a sharp weapon, said sources.