Several residents of three villages located along the international border in Jalpaiguri district have hurriedly handed over no-objection certificates (NOCs) to the administration for the acquisition of their agricultural land so that fences could be erected on the Bangladesh frontier.

The villagers who had been reluctant to part with the plots relented, spooked by the arrival of thousands of Bangladeshis near the unfenced border in an attempt to cross over to India. The Bangladeshis, mostly Hindus, wanted asylum in India following the alleged religious persecution in their country after the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

“I have handed over the NOC to the administration. Considering the present state of affairs in Bangladesh, we are apprehensive that people might infiltrate into our villages and want the administration to acquire our land and let the BSF install the fences at the earliest,” said Malinchandra Roy, a resident of Naljowapara.

Naljowapara and other villages in the South Berubari panchayat share a border with Bangladesh for a 16km stretch. The boundary is unfenced and marked by pillars. The villages are in the Sadar block of Jalpaiguri district.

Sources in the administration said around 45 families had handed over the NOCs in the past few days. “This will expedite the installation of fences and the construction of a road along a 3km-long stretch of the border,” said an official.

Saradprasad Das, a former chief of South Berubari panchayat, said families of villages like Naljowapara, Chawshpara and Bhujaripara had handed over the NOCs.

“However, the panchayat has four other villages that were in ‘adverse possession’ and are located along the remaining 13km stretch of the border. In these villages, the land documents have not been updated. Unless it is done, the acquisition process cannot be initiated,” said Das.

He elaborated that in 1947, those four villages remained within the Indian territory but were marked on the map of the then East Pakistan. In 2015, as the land boundary agreement was signed between India and Bangladesh, the error was rectified. The villages were formally included in the Indian map and excluded from the map of Bangladesh.

A joint survey was carried out by both the countries and border pillars were installed. However, fences are yet to be put in these areas.

“Because of this problem, the land records of these villages are not updated. For example, a villager who owns the land has documents that show that the plot is owned by his grandfather who is dead now. These have to be updated,” said Das.

After Sheikh Hasina left the country, hundreds of Bangladeshis had assembled near the zero point in South Berubari, with the plea to let them enter India. They were, however, sent back to India by BSF and the Border Guards Bangladesh.

“Since then, we have been worried. So, we have handed over the NOC so that fences are put up at least near our villages. We have simultaneously requested the administration to increase the rate of compensation which is ₹1.5 lakh per bigha now,” said Mozammel Haque, also from Naljowapara.

Shama Parveen, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, confirmed that the residents had given NOCs and were ready to part with their land.

“Once we receive all the NOCs, we will initiate the acquisition process and will also intimate the BSF. The land would be acquired for putting fences at the border and to build a road along the border,” said Parveen.

‘Smuggler’ shot

A Bangladeshi was gunned down by BSF personnel on Sunday night in Murshidabad district while he was allegedly trying to smuggle a consignment of tobacco leaves.

Sources in the south Bengal frontier of the BSF said the force fired in self-defence when a gang of five to six smugglers attacked them with sharp weapons.

After the firing, the miscreants fled back toward the Indian border, using the darkness and wild bushes for cover. The BSF launched a search in the area and found six bundles of “bidi” leaves, along with the injured Bangladeshi smuggler. He died at a hospital in Mahesil of Murshidabad

The deceased person was Abdullah, a resident of Rishipara village in Chapai Nawabganj district of Bangladesh.

Additional reporting by Soumya De Sarkar in Malda