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Rajshahi borders vulnerable to Coronavirus spread


Published : 02 May 2021 09:34 PM

The movement through frontier routes connecting Bangladesh and India remained suspended from April-25 due to a terrible situation of Corona virus infection in India. Due to a sudden closure of all immigration routes, thousands of people, both Bangladeshi and the Indians, remained trapped on both sides of the border. 

As a result, there is an apprehension of illegal trespassing through frontier routes. Specially, the frontier char areas without any barbed wire fencing remained vulnerable to such illegal trespassing. 

However, Border Guard Bangladesh has intensified its vigilance and patrolling through the frontier routes of North-Western region, specially of Rajshahi, to ensure no illegal entrance of any person from India to Bangladesh. BGB is learnt to launch a strict surveillance through land and riverine routes of Rajshahi frontier to thwart any intrusion from India, informed a responsible source of BGB in Rajshahi.

BGB sources further mentioned, several people were held during the illegal intrusion of people from India to Bangladesh through various southern frontiers recently. 

Many people escaped to Bangladesh from India through illegal frontier routes to save themselves from the infection of the terrible Corona virus. There is apprehension of trespassing of people from India to Bangladesh through Rajshahi and Northern frontiers. As a result, BGB remained extremely alert and vigilant through the frontier routes round the clock. 

Colonel Anowar Latif Khan, Sector Commander of BGB, Rajshahi region informed, nearly 400-kilometre of frontier routes along Bangladesh-India frontier in Rajshahi region is very diverse and hazardous. More than 100 kilometres of the frontier routes are surrounded by almost inaccessible riverine areas.

 Illegal trespassing is often conducted through these riverine routes by evading the vigilance of BGB. Such illegal trespassing from India during this terrible Corona situation will make Bangladesh more susceptible to Corona infection of the Indian string. As a result, BGB has increased its patrolling and vigilance in the border routes furthermore. 

According to sources, through the vast frontier routes of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Joypurhat, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchgarch, Lalmonirhat, Nilpha­mari and Kurigram districts, there is an illegal trespassing of cattle heads and drugs from India to Bangladesh regularly. People from both countries regularly cross the borders with the smuggling goods and cattle heads. Though, during the recent years, the number of such illegal intrusion has been reduced but that has not completely been stopped. That is why the often people at the frontier are killed or injured in gunshots of BSF during the illegal intrusion.

Some farmers of Majardiar, Kharchaka, Madhya Char. Char Asariadaha, Diar Manik Char and Godagari village under Rajshahi district and Char Baghdanaga and Polladanga frontier villages of Chapainawabganj informed citizens of both countries used to cultivate land together. 

There having no barbed wire fencing in the riverine, char villages, people of both countries trespassed freely from one country to another. 

But, due to a terrible Corona virus situation in India, the movement of people from both countries has been reduced now and farmers are not approaching towards their fields anymore.

BGB has also asked the villagers to remain alert so that no one can enter into Bangladesh from India during this time of pandemic.