West Bengal: Bangladeshi Nationals Stranded Amid Border Closure; Shyamoli Bus Service Evacuates To Petrapole

Kolkata: Several Bangladeshi nationals stranded in the state especially in Kolkata who visited West Bengal for treatment mainly. A young boy who came to treat his mother says he is running out of cash and is also unable to pay the rent of the guest house he was putting up in Mukundapur area.

“My mother’s treatment is done but she needs some rest. But whatever we are seeing is happening in Bangladesh we are worried about our rest of the family members back in Bangladesh,” said the Bangladeshi national.

Another Bangladeshi national putting up at Shonali park in Mukundapur area said that she was supposed to return back to her country two days back but as the border is closed and due to suspended train services she and her husband are staying back in India.

Fatima Bibi, who stays in Marquas Square in Kolkata who was supposed to visit her relatives back in Dhaka had to cancel her trip due to suspension of train services.

Notably, Shyamoli Bus Services on urgent basis is carrying Bangladeshi nationals who got stuck in West Bengal to Petrapole border.

Abani Kumar Ghosh, proprietor of Shyamoli Jatri Paribahan said, “We are making necessary arrangements to ferry those people who are in urgent need to return back to Bangladesh. On Tuesday 45 people were sent to Bangladesh. Fresh bookings are being made. The bus is leaving from MLA hostel at 7 am and is reaching Petrapole border. Arrangements are also being made by us so that they can cross the border.”

Some Hindu families were seen entering West Bengal from Dabgram- Fulbari border in Jalpaiguri. The ‘distressed’ people on anonymity had said that their houses were looted and ransacked by the mobs for which they are coming to India to save their lives.

Meanwhile, even if the train services between Kolkata and Dhaka remained suspended, flight services resumed from Monday late evening. Notably, the train services between Kolkata- Dhaka have been suspended since July 19.

A commuter who works in Dhaka said that he was supposed to return to Kolkata on Monday but at the last moment he had heard that flight services were suspended for six hours in Bangladesh on Monday.

“For six hours the passengers had to wait without food and water. We didn’t dare to step out just to save our lives as the situation was very tense. At night 10:30 pm we heard that the Indigo flight got cancelled. Today finally we could reach Kolkata,” said the man on anonymity.

On the other hand, BSF DG on Tuesday had visited the Petrapole land border (80 kms away from Kolkata) to see the security. A BSF officer said that the DG was informed about the forces present and also steps taken so that no ‘illegal’ person can enter the country.

It can be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday had requested people not to create any provocations so that peace in Bengal is not disrupted.

Bengali actor and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Deepak Adhikari (Dev) said that he has heard that his colleague and also colleague’s father who is a producer were beaten to death in Bangladesh.

Former army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury mentioned that Bangladesh is no longer a ‘friendly’ country but has become an ‘enemy’ country.

“Army of Bangladesh used to be called ‘Mitra Bahini’, but it cannot be called anymore. The Bangladesh army is now being controlled by a particular community,” said general Roychowdhury.

General Roychowdhury also added that West Bengal should be on ‘absolute high alert’ as there are several riverine borders between West Bengal and Bangladesh.