Joint Retreat Ceremony to be held at International Check Point in Fulbari
26 April 2018 5:12 PM GMT
Darjeeling: A proposal that was floated in 2012 is set to be implemented from April 27. On this day, the International Check Point at Fulbari, Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal will become the second border in the country after Wagah in Punjab to witness the "Joint Retreat Ceremony."
The Joint Retreat Ceremony will take place regularly from April 27 between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB)
A release from the BSF stated that the idea was first conceptualised at a Director General level coordination meeting in 2012 as part of confidence building measure aimed at better and cordial relations between the two countries and forces.
A similar ongoing meeting in Dhaka from April 23 to April 27 decided that the Joint retreat Ceremony will commence at the Fulbari- Banglanbandha border on 27th April at 3pm. The ceremony will be inaugurated jointly by KK Sharma, Director General, BSF and Major General Md Shafeenul Islam, Director General, BGB in the presence of top brass from both the forces along with administrative heads.
However, the border drill will not be as aggressive as Wagah but has been fine tuned keeping in mind the cordial relations between the two forces. The focus will be on the fine aspects of the Bangla culture shared by people residing on both sides of the border.
The ceremony along with boosting cordial relations enjoyed by both the countries and forces will also provide an excellent platform for cultural exchange, specially for the artistes of both the countries.
The Tourism Department of the Government of West Bengal has been working on infrastructure development of the area to promote tourism revolving around this ceremony.
An international standard food court is coming up. The BSF has already constructed a gallery for visitors to watch the ceremony.
An integrated tourism plan has been developed. An Indo-Bangladesh Friendship Office is also in the offing along with a North Bengal Cultural Center showcasing the rich, unique and diverse culture of North Bengal.
Fulbari is located in close proximity to the important town of Siliguri in North Bengal. Banglabandha on the Bangladesh side is a land port located in the Panchagarh district of Rangpur Division.
"Tourism prospects are immense. It will be the second destination in the country from where such a magnificent ceremony can be seen. It will attract international tourists also," stated Debasish Maitra of the Eastern Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators Association.
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