Dilly-dally in survey of disputed Sylhet borders
Survey on much-talked Dibir Haor border in Jaintapur upazila and Padua-Protappur border, which could not resume as per earlier schedule yesterday, now seems to be delayed for days more due to various reasons.
“Survey officials are waiting for instructions from higher authorities since the Indians are claiming lands inside Bangladesh territory as belonging to them. We hope the survey would resume in days,” the Battalion Commander of the 21 Battalion of BDR Lt Col Khairul Quadir told this correspondent yesterday.
Contacted, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rev) Dr Abul Hasan, who is heading the Bangladesh survey team, said yesterday evening, “The Indian survey team requested us to keep the survey suspended for a few days on account of Christmas and for other reasons.”
Admitting the Indians' pressure for accepting their claim for lands inside Bangladesh territory, he said, “We have sought direction from the higher authorities. Both sides on Wednesday discussed different documents after that day's flag meeting between BDR and BSF.”
Earlier on December 14 evening, the villagers inside Bangladesh territory chased away about 500 Indian Khasia tribesmen, who had intruded into the Bangladesh territory through the remote Padua-Protappur borders in Gowainghat upazila.
“We had decided to keep the survey suspended till today [Monday] on occasion of holidays like Victory Day and Ashura. Now survey people from Meghalaya have requested us to delay the job for a few more days on occasion of Christmas. We hope we would be able to resume the job after the Chrismas. Earlier we were asked to complete the works by December 31, it may now continue till January 15,” Hasan said.
Claiming about 50 acres of Bangladesh lands as belonging to them, Indian Khasia tribesmen had been opposing the survey on Dibir Haor border in Jaintapur upazila.
The Indians also pressed for suspending survey on Sonarhat-Lankhat border, where about 80 acres of Bangladesh lands, in addition to the 100 acres on Protappur-Padua border, had been under the possession of Indians.
Asked about the Indian claims, Dr Hasan said, “We pressed in favour of our documents and on the basis of boundary pillars and asked for documents in support of their claims.”
Except the untoward incident on December 14, an uneasy calm has been prevailing on about 20 kilometre border from Sonarhat to Dibir Haor in Gowainghat, Kanaighat and in Jaintapur upazilas since a joint survey began on December 7.
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