Learn the story of 70 thousand people of 254 villages living in lockdown since 7 decades

To put a brake on the speed of outbreak of Coronavirus, the Central Government announced the lockdown in the entire country from 12 o'clock on the night of 24 March. It has been 52 days since the lockdown. Meanwhile, people continued to get discounts for availing medical facilities including purchase of everyday items. Apart from this, exemption was also given for many other important work. Gradually restrictions are being reduced and relaxation is being increased. After this, people are also becoming restless to get out of their homes. Meanwhile, we are telling you the story of more than 70 thousand people of 254 villages, who have been living in lockdown conditions not just for 52 days but for seven decades. These 254 villages are settled on the No Mens Land on the border of India (India) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), formed after partition. Their circumstances have not changed even after partition.

People from No Mens Land come and go through the gate built in the fence.

A barbed wire fence has been built along the international border between India and Bangladesh (Bangladesh). People of these 254 villages settled in No Mains Land can move through the gate built in the fence on the scheduled time. Now due to Corona virus, their exit has been banned. When necessary, people of the Border Security Force (BSF) allow them to go out. Due to the line drawn at the time of the India-Pakistan partition, more than 70 thousand people of 254 villages along the border of Bengal and Bangladesh live in lockdown-like condition 365 days a year. Sir Radcliffe, the head of the Radcliffe Commission, has had to fill the brunt of bordering boundaries in a strange way. In many villages, the situation was such that the front door of some of their houses used to open in India and the rear in Bangladesh.

Things are like prisoners, Corona crisis has increased problem

No one can live in No Mens Land, but thousands of people live here. It is difficult to distinguish between an Indian and a Bangladeshi citizen due to the considerable similarity in living, dialect and culture. Marriage from across the border is also common among these people. Neither the Border Security Force personnel nor any person from Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) say anything due to the geographical situation. People living in these villages have easy access to markets on both sides of the border. Yet their conditions are not less than the prisoners. Now the situation is worse because of Corona. According to the DW report, Zainul Abedin, who lives in No Man's Land, says that staying on the zero line is like staying on the edge of the sword. We do not get any government support. At the same time, Bangladeshi criminals also continue to harass us.

The attempt five years ago was put in cold storage

Ichmati river flows in the middle of Jhorpada village in Nadia district. Anirul of the village says what is the lockdown and what is open for us? Many of our generations passed in lockdown. After the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the year 2015, the issue of transferring these villages was also raised at the time of the land border agreement. Due to many problems in it, this issue was put on hold. People are not ready to leave their homes and farms in No Mens Land. Anirul says that here we go through farming, but if we do not get compensation, how can we leave the place of ancestors and go to another place? Many children from No Mens Land go to Bangladesh schools to study, while many people go there for treatment as well.

Half of India and half of Bangladesh have many wells

In Bangladesh's 4,096 km long border with India, 2,216 km is adjacent to 10 districts spread from north to south of Bengal alone. After the barbed wire fencing on the border, 70 thousand people from 254 villages remained on the other side of the fence. For thousands of these people for seven decades, these fenced gates open only at certain times. There are many wells in Haldibari area of ​​Jalpaiguri, half of which are in Bangladesh. Same is the condition of roads. Most of the houses in this area are famous for tomato production, whose main gate opens in India and the previous one opens in Bangladesh. Such villages are full from North 24-Parganas district adjoining Kolkata to Dakshin Dinajpur and Cooch Behar.