Bangladesh-India farmers at border protest BSF curbs

On demand of allowing them to grow corn and jute on their and beyond the fences, farmers in Cooch Behar close to the Bangladesh-India border blocked a road in front of the local Border Security Force.

The demonstration on Tuesday continued for four hours and was called off following assurance from the officials of the paramilitary force and local administration, reports Kolkata based English newspaper The Telegraph.

Residents of Ghonapara-Krishnapur in the neighbouring country blocked the road that leads to the BSF camp in their area with bamboo poles and squatted with placards.

As per rules, cultivation of any crop that grows taller than three feet on any plot beyond the fences – between the fences and the zero line – is restricted at the Bangladesh-India border for security reasons.

Some 100 farmers of the village have farmland beyond barbed fences. 

One protesting farmer said that if BSF did not allow them to cultivate jute or corn, they should pay a compensation of Rs30,000 (some Tk33,800) per bigha.

Earlier, similar protests had cropped up in some other bordering areas of Cooch Behar district while villagers had then alleged that BSF prevented them from cultivating jute even on plots located within the fences.

The allegations had made the administration intervene and the issue was sorted out.