International
oi-Ashish Rana
Two Indian farmers from West Bengal were taken to Bangladesh by villagers after Bangladeshi farmer allegedly detained by BSF in India near border. The incident took place on Tuesday, however, later the farmers were returned after BSF meeting with Bangladesh border forces. This is second case that involves Indian farmers in West Bengal in within days.
Two Indian farmers were taken to Bangladesh on Tuesday after villagers retaliated for the BSF detaining farmer Abdul Mannan near the Meherpur border; a BSF-BGB meeting secured the mutual release of all involved.
Two Indian Farmers Taken Across Border
According to a local Bangladesh based newspaper Prothom Alo, the incident started after a 70-year old Abdul Mannan, a resident of Ichakali village in Bangladesh’s Meherpur district was detained by Indian BSF while he was working in nearby farmland.
According to Daily star, Mannan was detained near Border Pillar No. 124/4-S when he was cultivating green chillies and other crops in his field near the border.
After Mannan’s relatives and villagers find out about his detention, they allegedly crossed the international border and took two Indian farmers to Bangladesh from the area near Border Pillar No. 123/3-S.
Reports Differ On Farmers’ Names
However, the names of the farmers have been reported different in both local media reports, Prothom Alo identified the farmers as Sachin Karmakar and Narayan Deb, while the other The Daily Star reported them as Sachin Das and Ratan Biswas.
Mannan’s grandson Ibrahim Khalilullah told Protham Alo that the villagers acted in anger after their request of leaving Mannan was failed.
“After we learnt that the BSF had detained my grandfather, we requested them to release him. But they did not let him go. As a result, people in the area became angry and dragged two Indian farmers into Bangladesh. One of them is Sachin Karmakar and the other is Narayan Deb,” Ibrahim said.
BSF-BGB Flag Meeting Secures Release
After this whole incident, BSF and Bangladesh’s Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) held a meeting at Ichakhali border between 2 pm and 3 pm on Tuesday. After this meeting, Mannan was released to Bangladesh and the two farmers were released back to India.
This whole incident has shown how the farmers who are working near borders risks their lives, specially whose land comes near borders.
Second Border Incident In Days
This is the second incident that came into light after a few days back when another Indian farmer a 35 year old Dipanker Gope a resident from West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district was taken to Bangladesh by 20 Bangladesh men.
Gope who was working in his tea garden near border when 20 Bangladeshi men group allegedly crossed the broder and took him crossing the border. This incident happened on 6 August, he was also released after a meeting between BSF and BGB.
