ZCZC
BSS-56
MILAN-MELA (with picture)
Reunion of Bangalees turns Nabinagar borders joyous
RANGPUR, Oct 28, 2019 (BSS) – The Nabinagar Baura border under Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat opposite to Kuchlibari BSF camp today turned joyous following reunion of relatives living in both Bangladesh and West Bengal of India.
Patgram upazila Chairman Ruhul Amin Babul said people from many areas of both countries in either side of common international border come to meet relatives amid untold human emotion and enthusiasm on the occasion of Kali Puja every year.
Similarly, as per initiatives taken by the local people of either side and with the assistance of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) of India, the “Milan Mela” was arranged today paving the way for meeting relatives.
The relatives, thousands in number, including men, women and people of all ages stood alongside with the barbed-wire fences, exchanged their well-wishes, greetings, sweets, new clothes, presentations and came to know whereabouts of each-other.
Talking to local reporters, Kamal Roy and his sister Pallbi Rani from Koochbehar in West Bengal said they came there to meet their relatives Sukumar Roy and Moni Bala Roy living in Lalmonirhat and exchanged presentations after many years.
Mohsena Begum of Koochbehar met her sister Surovi Begum of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat after many years, exchanged well wishes and presentations, and they enquired about whereabouts of their children and other relatives living either country.
Elderly Aklima Khatun of Bhotmari area in Lalmonirhat came to the border and met with her relatives Abdul Hakim and Momena Begum of Koochbehar district of West Bengal first time after the partition in 1947.
“Now, I would have no sorrow if breath the last,” Momena told her relatives living in Indian State of West Bengal while meeting them from across the barbed-wire fences.
Samir Kumar of Koochbehar district of West Bengal came there and met his elder sisters Sanchita Devi and Anu Radha Devi after many years when both of them started weeping failing to hide their emotions.
Pradip Kumar of Naodabash village and Yunus Ali Sarker of Jomgram village in Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat district said they were very happy after meeting their relatives living in the West Bengal of India after many years.
They also expressed gratitude to the Indian BSF personnel who distributed hotchpotch as ‘Prasad’ among the people who came on the borders from both countries to meet their relatives.
Talking to local journalists from the other side of the barbed- wire fences, common people thanked the authorities of both BGB and BSF and local administrations of both countries for arranging their meet from 10 am to 2 pm today.
They requested both governments for extending their meeting time from the next time on humanitarian ground as many relatives living in either country do not have their economical capabilities to avail passport or visa for legal visits.
BSS/SPL/MI/MMA/2121hrs