Residents near Indo-Bangla border demand rehab

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 2: Hundreds of villagers living in the stretch between the border fencing and the zero line at the Bangladesh border today demanded rehabilitation following the district administration's proposal for them to shift inside the fenced area at Kaliachak III block in Malda district.The Malda SDO, Kalichak III BDO, commandant BSF (108-battalion), local MLA and other officials today interacted with the villagers at Dui-Shata-Bighi Primary School, close to the Bangladesh border and urged them to leave their areas for the country's security.“Some of them have croplands inside the fenced area but they are not suitable as homestead land,” said the Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De. It may be recalled that the villagers had sought administrative help through political parties for the alleviation of their daily problems at the border. The BSF too had informed the Malda district magistrate Mr C R Das that some people including women were involved in border crime. The BSF had also proposed the district magistrate to shift the people inside the fencing area for security reasons. A total of 1763 people including children live beyond the fenced area and the zero line at Kaliachak III block.The Malda SDO Ms Arunima De said, “Almost all people want to shift inside the fencing but they do not have land. I shall report the villagers’ view to the DM and he would write to the state government for necessary steps for their rehabilitation,” she added.