Cooch Behar: Residents of the Nazirhat-Shyamganj border area in Dinhata subdivision staged a road blockade on Tuesday, protesting against the new battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF), which they accuse of obstructing local movement.
The protest involved residents from Shyamganj, Kumarganj, Dighalatari, Chhota Garaljhora, Bora Garaljhora, Shalmara, Bel Kaliighati, Kharija Kalaighati, Sachinandan, Khochabari, Kharubhanj and surrounding areas under Nazirhat I and II Gram Panchayats.
Local Trinamool leader Akram Hossain and school teacher Prashant Sarkar explained that the community has historically crossed the Phul Kumari River (locally called Khor Dara) via a boat dock near Shyamganj village. Following the Central government’s approval for a barbed-wire fence along the 150-yard buffer zone on the India-Bangladesh border, the dock moved towards Bangladesh. Authorities later constructed a bridge (bypass) near the fence, which locals use to reach essential offices, including the BDO office, the electric office, Bamanhat Block Primary Health Centre and relatives’ homes.
“Suddenly, the new BSF battalion has barred us from using this bridge,” Akram Hossain said. “While the BSF has directed us to take an alternative route, it extends 10–12 kilometre, whereas the bridge allows us to reach our destination within 100 metre. The road blockade was our way of asserting the right to use this route.”
On learning about the protest, Nazirhat Camp police and Sahebganj Police Station OC Ajit Kumar Saha reached the site. The blockade was lifted after about an hour following police assurances, though the BSF has yet to respond publicly to the incident.
Dinhata Block No. 2 Block Development Officer Nitish Tamang stated that the matter would be investigated and appropriate action taken.