<i>Fence can't always stand as a barrier</i>
Bangla speaking people from two neighbouring countries throng two sides of barbed wire fence on Omarkhana border in Panchagarh Sadar upazila on Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year, as authorities on the special occasion 'allow' the unique reunion among near and dear ones, living on two sides of the state boundary.Photo: STAR
Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year, presented a different scene on Omarkhana border in Panchagarh Sadar upazila as thousands of Bangla speaking people living on two sides of the border got a unique opportunity to meet their relatives. Standing on both sides of the barbed wire fence on Omarkhana border between pillars No 743 and 744, people of Bangladesh and India exchanged greetings and talked heartily with their near and dear ones. A large number of people in both countries, especially those who cannot afford the expenditure to visit their relatives through legal procedure, eagerly wait for this special day. People from different districts of the two countries were seen exchanging various things including biscuits, chanachur, pens, clothes and towels. Seeing near and dear ones after a long time, many of them could not check their tears. Several people who came here on Wednesday to meet their relatives said they and their ancestors had been related in various ways for long but the 1947 partition made it hard for those living on two sides of the border to meet. Nelwashar Barman, 70, of Gobindaguru village under Boda upazila in Panchagarh, came here to meet his daughter Bashonti, who lives in Shiliguri in India. It is 11 years that they met last. Nurul Haque Prodhan, 60, of Jhotiakhali village of Shiliguri sub-division in India met with his nephew Golam Rabbani, 45, living at Notun Bosti village in Panchagarh. Each year on the first day of Bangla New Year they come to the border to meet with their relatives. Ananta Roy, 35, of Shiliguri in India came here to meet his father while Ananta Bala, 32, of Farabari village came to meet her brother and sisters. "Every year on the first day of Bangla New Year people from both sides come here to meet with their relatives. We make the arrangement through discussion with BSF," said Major AKM Hasibul Hossain Nabi, deputy commanding officer of 25 Rifles Battalion. Company commander of Khalpara BSF Battalion Arun Lal said they unofficially allow people to meet with their relatives on the special occasion considering emotional issue of people. BSF opens the door of barbed wire fence to facilitate people to come to the border after 11:00am and keeps it open for three hours.
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