BSF authorities on Monday helped two Bangladeshi women get a last glimpse of their mother who died at home across the border in India’s Nadia district on Sunday.
When alive, Rohton Biwi, 70, of Matiyari-Banpur village, near the India-Bangladesh border, had often wanted to meet her two married daughters who stay in neighbouring Bangladesh.
When she died, Rohton’s son Sukur Mondal, 40, requested the BSF authorities of the 54 Battalion to get in touch with their counterparts across the border and let his two sisters have a last glimpse of their mother.
Responding to Sukur’s request, the BSF got in touch with the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB). The BGB brought Momina Mondal, 48, and Khatuna Biwi, 42 to the zero point — a mutually agreed-upon area of the India-Bangladesh border — to let them bid farewell to their mother.
Asked what made them go out of their way to arrange an “antim darshan” for Rohton’s daughters, BSF South Bengal Frontier’s spokesperson and DIG (G) S.S. Guleria said: “It was an unusual and emotional appeal (by the brother). Our officials immediately got in touch with BGB authorities who responded positively.”
Speaking to The Telegraph, Sukur said: “Our mother was ill for a long time and died on Sunday. She had wished to see her two daughters who were married and lived in Bangladesh. That did not happen for unavoidable circumstances. Hearing the news of her death, my two sisters were desperate for a last glimpse of our mother. But the border between the two countries stood between their wish. They insisted that I speak to the BSF authorities… I appealed to the commanding officer of the 54-Battalion at its Banpur border outpost if the prayer could be granted."
As both the BSF and BGB agreed to help, the two sisters were brought to the zero point from Chuadanga district of Bangladesh.
The two women paid their last respects to their mother in her coffin in the presence of BSF and BGB officials.
Sukur said he was grateful to the BSF and the BGB as his sisters could see their mother one last time.
