Petrapole, adjacent to Bongon, the border town of North 24 Parganas, is about 80 km from Kolkata. Since the beginning of the crisis in Bangladesh, all the borders with the neighboring country have been kept on high alert. Petrapole is one of the most popular border routes which has long been associated with trade and daily movement of Indians and Bangladeshis.
silence on the border
There was peace on the busy border after Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of PM and left the country on August 5. Petrapole is the Indian part of the Petrapole-Benapole border between India and Bangladesh, which is also South Asia’s only land port and Asia’s largest customs station.
On a normal day, on an average, hundreds of trucks loaded with goods pass through this border. After the violence in Bangladesh, BSF DG Daljit Chaudhary reached the border and talked to various officers and local people living on the border. Although the situation was calm, there was still a lot of restlessness in the atmosphere.
People seen roaming with swords on the highway
If on normal days 1000 trucks used to come to India from Petrapole border, then on 6th only 10 to 15 trucks were seen passing through here. Only people with valid permits were allowed inside after checking. While talking to Aaj Tak, a driver from Tamil Nadu said that he did not face any special problem while coming from Jessore.
About an hour later, when other trucks arrived from Bangladesh, a driver from Bihar said something different. The driver told that he saw people with swords and sticks roaming on the highway near the border. He was lucky that they did not attack him.
I was afraid to return home
However, instead of relief, there was confusion for Bangladeshi Hindus returning home through the border. They were scared and were afraid to go to their own country, to their own home. Ratan Ranjan, about 50 years old, had come to India for his treatment. While returning to Jessore, he was frightened by the questions from the media. Before crossing the border he told that he was scared. When he was asked the reason for this, he said that because he is a Hindu.
‘Government of India should help us’
Bangladeshi Hindu woman Radharani was returning from her daughter and son-in-law’s house in Barasat. She wanted the Indian government to help whoever wants to settle in India. The woman said, ‘They hanged an Awami League leader upside down in my area. They tortured us minority Hindus. Hasina was a hope. Indian government can do something and let us stay in India. Many people will come to India.