Enclave people observe 'night without light'
Demand early implementation of deal
People of the Indian enclaves' inside Bangladesh territory yesterday began their two-day 'Nishprodip Raat Japon' (spending night without lighting lamps) programme demanding early implementation of the enclave exchange deal between Bangladesh and India.
Over one thousand people including women and children brought out a procession at Garati enclave adjacent to Haibhasha and Hafizabad unions under Panchagarh Sadar upazila yesterday demanding immediate solution to their problem, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.
"From today [Saturday] evening all the enclave people inside Panchagarh district will refrain from lighting lamps for two nights as part of 'Nishprodip Raat Japan' programme as the enclave exchange deal signed on Tuesday by India and Bangladesh did not mention any specific time frame for its implementation," Mofizar Rahman, a leader of the residents of Garati enclave, said at a discussion after the procession.
"We want to be Bangladeshi citizens. The governments of India and Bangladesh should feel the pain of the enclave people and start the exchange procedure soon. Otherwise, we will launch tougher movement," he said.
Earlier on Thursday evening, leaders of India-Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee in Panchagarh suspended a fast-unto-death programme of enclave people in Bangladesh for seven days following request from the district administration.
One hundred and eleven Indian enclaves inside Bangladesh are situated in Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Nilphamari districts while all the 51 Bangladeshi enclaves are in Indian Cooch Behar district.
Our Kurigram correspondent reports: To observe the two-day 'Nishprodip Raat Japan' programme, the female members in the enclaves yesterday prepared to have all their cooking as well as eating complete during the daytime. They will do the same today.
On Wednesday, the residents observed a half-day hunger strike in Indian enclave Dashiar Chhara in Phulbari upazila of the district on the enclave exchange deal issue.
"We are observing the programme in all the 111 Indian enclaves. We want a specific time for early implementation of the enclave exchange deal signed between Bangladesh and India," Md Golam Mostafa, general secretary of Bangladesh unit of India-Bangladesh Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee, told this correspondent yesterday.
"We will continue various programmes until achieving success," he added.
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