Parts of WB celebrate August 18 as 'India Inclusion Day'

Malda (West Bengal): Like in the past, parts of West Bengal bordering Bangladesh celebrated August 18 as "Bharat Bhukti Dibas" or "India Inclusion Day", to hail rectification of the "Radcliffe Line" that had awarded parts of undivided Bengal to India three days after they were added in East Bengal province of Pakistan on August 15, 1947.

Sir Cyril Radcliffe had awarded large parts of Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, 24 Parganas and Dinajpur districts to East Bengal.

According to documented history of the partition, Pakistan flags were unfurled by Muslim League supporters in English Bazar, Murshidabad, Ranaghat and other areas of the new frontier.

However, three days later, the Radcliffe Line was modified following protests at several Hindu-majority areas that fell in Pakistan.

While Malda, Nadia and Dinajpur districts were bifurcated and awarded to both the countries, Murshidabad was returned in entirety to India.

Bongaon subdivision of Pakistan's Jessore district was merged with 24 Parganas.

While Radcliffe had awarded all the 16 police station areas of the Malda district to East Pakistan on August 15, 1947, three days later, 11 of them were returned to India.

The then District Magistrate of Malda, Ashok Sen had hoisted the Indian national flag in Malda district administrative building on August 18, 1947, marking inclusion of the western part of the district into India.

Continuing with the tradition, English Bazar municipal councillor Amlan Bhaduri unfurled the national flag on Sunday (August 18) in Fulbari area of the Malda district headquarters to celebrate the occasion.

"We celebrate the 'Bharat Bhukti Dibas' every year in Fulbari's Babupara locality. We make it a point to include the elderly, who witnessed partition, into the programme besides encouraging youngsters to be part of it so that they are aware of their past," organiser Devdeep Dutta said Monday.