<i>Mosque of 'brotherhood' near Indo-Bangla border</i>
This 150-year-old mosque near the 'zero line' at Srikrishnapur village under Hili police station of Dakkhin Dinajpur in Indian state of Pashchimbanga serves as the symbol of fraternity among residents of several neighbouring villages on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border as a good number of Muslims of the area offer daily prayers there.Photo: STAR
A mosque near the zero line at Srikrishnapur village under Hili police station of Dakkhin Dinajpur in Indian state of Paschimbanga is regularly thronged with people from both sides of Bangladesh-India border as Muslims of the neighbouring villages offer daily prayers there. "Around 200 people of both the countries daily offer their prayers together at the mosque. We maintain brotherhood although we have been separated geographically since the partition of 1947," said Md Shajahan of Jamalpur village in Hili Thana of Dakkhin Dinajpur. Idris Ali Master of Dakkhin Daudpur village in Birampur upazila of Dinajpur is the imam of the mosque located between 26 and 27 sub pillars of 289 main pillar of India-Bangladesh border. The mosque was founded about 150 years ago, said Boyan Uddin, 65, a resident of Dakkhin Daudpur village, and a ward member of Katla union parishad in Birampur upazila. "We are separated geographically, but it could not separate our minds. Neighbouring villagers of both the countries interact on a regular basis," he said. "We share our joys and sorrows. We don't know much about border laws but we know each other very well," said Md Rezzak Hossain, a resident of Jamalpur village in Hili Thana under Dakkhin Dinajpur. Villagers said they maintain brotherhood and harmony as they have friends and relatives in both countries. However, the situation turns different when tension prevails between Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) due to unwanted situations in the border area. "Fearing atrocities of border security men, we cannot offer prayers at the mosque during such situations," said a villager. During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent found that prayers at the mosque remained suspended as border security men of both the countries remained alert over the March 5 incident at Jamalganj village under Hili Thana of Dakkhin Dinajpur. BSF injured three Bangladeshi people and detained one of them early morning of March 5 while two others managed to enter Bangladesh territory, said the villagers. Md Golam Hossain, 26, one of the victims of March 5 incident, died at a Rangpur clinic on March 9. His body was brought to Dakkhin Daudpur village under Birampur upazila of Dinajpur on the night. Hossain was a resident of a house inside Bangladesh territory adjacent to the mosque close to the zero line and his namaj-e-janaja was supposed to be held at the mosque. But due to 'too strict' surveillance by the border guards of the two countries, the namaj-e-janaja was held in an area inside Bangladesh territory on March 10. However, villagers from both sides of the border took part in his janaja and burial at a local graveyard, said Nazim Uddin, a resident of Dakkhin Daudpur village in Birampur upazila.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments