67 people go to India today

Sixty-seven of 197 former enclave people who chose to become Indian nationals will say goodbye to their native villages at erstwhile Gotamari enclave in Hatibandha upazila and Banshkata in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat today.

They will leave Bangladesh through Burimari land port in Patgram. The rest 130 would leave on November 23, sources at Lalmonirhat deputy commissioner's office said.

Ninety-two-year-old Tarak Nath Chandra Barman, a travel pass holder, was seen upset when this correspondent visited his house at Gotamari yesterday.

“I am familiar with everything in the village as I was born here. My parents and grandparents died here. I feel bad to leave my village forever,” he said.

Tarak will be leaving the village along with his 12-member family.

“Now I don't know where we will live,” he said while fighting back tears.

His wife, Kunjeshawri Rani, however, seemed happy.

Kunjeshawari, 85, was born in a village in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal and got married to Tarak before the partition of India in 1947.

“We are Indian citizens by birth, but we got separated from the mainland India. Now we are going to settle there,” she said, adding that they received farewell from all their relatives in Bangladesh.

Tarak's son Anukul Chandra Barman said his family had already sold all their immovable assets.

Binod Chandra Barman, 67, another travel pass holder of the same area, said they have already completed all formalities, including meeting with relatives and friends in Bangladesh, in the last few days.

 Sources in the district administration said a total of 197 people of 40 families at five former enclaves in Hatibandha and Patgram had opted to become Indian nationals and travel passes were given to them by the Indian authorities.

Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner M Habibur Rahman told The Daily Star that transport facilities and special security would be provided to the travel pass holders when they start for India.