RANGPUR, Aug 02, 2017 (BSS) – The people of 111 former enclaves celebrated the second anniversary of the historic land swap between Bangladesh and India on Tuesday with a vow to build a developed Bangladesh free from terrorism, militancy and drug.
About 37,000 jubilant people of 12 former enclaves 12 Kurigram, 59 in Lalmonirhat, four in Nilphamari and 36 in Panchagarh celebrated the occasion through day-long colourful programmes amid huge festivity and fanfare.
The programmes included lighting of candles at zero hours, hoisting of the national flag, singing of national anthem, rallies, taking oath against terrorism, militancy and drug, sports competitions, discussions, cultural functions and prize distribution.
The programme also included placing of wreaths at portraits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, distribution of sweets, offering special prayers and munajats at religious institutions.
In Kurigram, thousands of people of former Dashiarchhara enclave under Fulbari upazila took part in the candle-lit programme on Kamalpur Mosque premises followed by day-long colourful programmes at Kalirhat Government Primary School and Kamalpur areas.
They took oath against terrorism, militancy and drug on Kamalpur Debirpath ground and vowed for building a middle income nation by 2021 and developed Bangladesh by 2041 as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
President of the local Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee of Dashiarchhara Moynul Haque and its General Secretary Golam Mostafa attended various functions at different places of Dashiarchhara.
Former Principal of Dinajpur Medical College Dr Hamidul Haque Khondker attended the discussion arranged on the occasion there as the chief guest with Fulbari Sadar union Chairman Harun Ar Rashid in the chair.
Fulbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Debendranath Urao, Public Prosecutor of Kurigram Advocate Abraham Lincon, Awami League (AL) leader Sayeed Hasan Loban, Jubo League leader Abu Bakar Siddique, among others, addressed.
In Panchagarh, the people of 36 former enclaves gathered at former Puthimari enclave under Boda upazila, former Garati enclave under Sadar upazila and other former enclaves to celebrate the anniversary through similar programmes.
With former leader of local Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee Mofizar Rahman in the chair, Panchagarh Sadar upazila Chairman Anwar Sadat Samrat as the chief guest addressed the function.
Former Chairman of former enclave Shalmari Sirajul Islam, former Chairman of former Puthimari enclave Taslim Uddin, among others, addressed the function.
Similarly, people of four former enclaves gathered at Paschim Kharibari under Dimla upazila in Nilphamari and 59 former enclaves at Bhitorkuthi under Sadar upazila and other places under Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas in Lalmonirhat to celebrate the occasion.