Bangladesh attack Indian posts, 2 killed

Silchar, Aug 10: The Bangladesh Rifles(BDR) today fired at three Indian border outposts and killed two women, injured five others and displaced 4000 people, creating a war like situation in Cachar district, BSF sources said.

The Border Security Forces(BSF) have also retaliated and the firing which started since last night still continues.

The Bangladesh Rifles targeted Harinagar, Kinnokhal and Tokargram border outposts of BSF with heavy mortars since last night. The BSF immediately retaliated to protect the post and since 2215 hours last night, it was going on in full swing with brief lull around wee hours.

Those who were killed in the BDR firing have been identified as Sabita Dey and Santa Dey, residents of Kinnokhal bus stand near Bangladesh border. Another woman and a boy have been injured in the same area.

Report from other side of the international border said that unspecified number of civilians were either killed or injured in the crossfire.

The intercepted BDR communication revealed that there were casualties on the other side also and at least four BDR personnel were injured and a Madrasa building was destroyed, the BSF sources said.

The civil administration have opened three relief camps so far where more than 2200 people have taken shelter and all the villages bordering Bangladesh have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Giving this information BSF's Cachar sector DIG, Aswani Kumar Singh today said that troops of 38 Bn BDR started unprovoked firing from Barathakoria and Kaziipara villages of Sylhet sector in Bangladesh at 22.15 hours last night first targeting Harinagar BOP with mortar and heavy machine guns.

When BSF retaliated, BDR targeted Kinnokhal and Tokargram outposts of BSF. The firing between the two sides has been continuing throughout the morning.

The bone of contention is the 200 acre of riverine land across the Surama river where the BDR encourage Bangladeshi people to cultivate. The BSF has objected to it but because of confusing signal from political establishments the matter still remains unresolved.

The State government initially informed the Asom Assembly that land was being encroached by Bangladesh. This was, however, denied by Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Parliament and forced the state government to take a U-turn.

Sources from the 32-km long Indo-Bangladesh border in Cachar sector said that people in Indian villages have been fleeing with their belongings to safer places. More than 600 people have so far left their homes in the area fearing escalation of violence. BSF sources said Bangladeshi villagers were trying to grab 220 acres of Indian land on the other side of Surma river. On June 1 last year BSF destroyed summer vegetable crops and dismantled bamboo structure raised by Bangladeshi farmers on the 200 acres of Indian land without any bloodshed.

However, after one year on June 23, BSF troops noticed that the Bangladeshi villagers were busy cultivating paddy on the same land.

BSF destroyed the crops and chased away the cultivators.

On June 28, BDR indulged in unprovoked firing targeting Harinagar and Kinnokhal posts of BSF in Cachar sector over the land.

However, there was no causality. On July 5, a flag meeting was held between BSF and BDR at Harinagar, where BDR officials agreed that it would no more 'instigate' Bangladeshi farmers to cultivate the Indian land in question.

However, on July 23, Bangladeshi farmers again tilled the land with the help of power tillers and sowed paddy despite BSF warning.

Since than a warlike situation prevails along the international border with BSF and BDR increasing deployment on either side of the border. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi farmers have carried on with their cultivation on the Indian land in the last week of July.

BDR, however, denied grabbing of the plot of land by Bangladeshis. But, villagers of Harinagar on the Indian side insist that Bangladeshis backed by BDR had been cultivating the same land for a long time given the geographical advantage. Although, Surma river divides the 32-km long international border in this part of the country, this 220 acres of Indian land falls on the other side of the river. The villagers alleged that they were not allowed to cultivate the land by their Bangladeshi counterparts.

UNI