Indian citizens living beyond the barbed wire fences on the Bangladesh border are among the worst sufferers of the lockdown as the restrictions have cut them off the mainland, which has denied them essential supplies and access to farmlands.

In Cooch Behar, over 3,000 people live at Kalsigram — a village that is located beyond the barbed fences and is in the shape of a kalsi (pitcher) — in the Mekhliganj subdivision.

As the village is beyond the barbed fencing, which is 1km from the international frontier, the residents need to cross gates manned by the BSF to enter the Indian mainland.

“A couple of days ago, the BSF closed down all gates on the border because of the lockdown. As a result, we could not get into the mainland even to get food grains from ration shops or to buy other essentials. If such a situation persists and we are not allowed entry through the gate, we would soon find it tough to arrange even a single meal for our children,” said Abdul Majid, a resident of Kalsigram.

On Monday, state ministers Rabindranath Ghosh and Binoy Krishna Burman, along with Paresh Adhikary, the chairman Changrabandha Development Authority, reached the border. The residents of Kalsigram, who stood on the other side of the fence, spoke to the trio about their problems.

“The gates are supposed to remain open from morning till 9pm for these residents. I have asked the district magistrate to take up the issue with the BSF. It is unfortunate that the villagers, who are Indian citizens, cannot get food grains in their own country,” said Ghosh.

As restrictions are placed on movement along the international border, thousands of farmers living in bordering districts need permission from the BSF to carry on with agricultural activities in their farmlands located between barbed wire fences and the zero point.

“I have cultivated rice over an area of around 10 bighas. But over the past three weeks, I could not visit the land. The crop is drying up and I need to arrange for irrigation. However, the BSF men at the border are not letting us pass through the gates,” said Ramesh Mondal, a farmer at Boyra-Kulnandapur village in North 24-Parganas district.

On Tuesday, around 200 farmers there agitated when the BSF did not let them cross the gates. They went to Bagda police station and later raised a blockade on the Bagdah-Bongaon Road at Nomchapota village.

A police team, along with local MLA Dulal Bar, reached the spot. They spoke to the farmers and persuaded them to withdraw the blockade after an hour.

“I have spoken with BSF authorities and appealed to them to consider the problems of the farmers. They have assured us of conveying the decision on Wednesday,” said Bar, who switched his loyalty from the Congress to the BJP last year.

Another group of 100-odd farmers submitted a memorandum on the same demand to the Bongaon North BDO office on Tuesday.

A senior BSF officer said he had briefed higher-ups on the issue.

“We have mentioned before them the demands made by farmers and villagers who stay beyond the fences. We will act according to the instructions from their end,” he said