Administration worried over twin threat during Baruni Mela

BARUNI SNAN

A CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA: Security forces are worried over two threats during the Baruni Mela when over one lakh people — both from India and Bangladesh — will assemble on the bank of river Fenni at Sub room — the southernmost subdivision of the State bordering the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) of the neighboring country.

The twin threat being faced by the security forces and the civil administration are the probable transmission of coronavirus and the infiltration of Rohingya refugees. The sub-divisional administration has already closed the ‘Srinagar Border Haat’ (market) as a preventive measure against the spread of coronavirus. Powanbari Block Development Officer Bijayanta Sarkar said that the haat will remain closed until further order.

Despite closing the Border Haat, the administration is in a confused state as to how to prevent close contact among the people during the festival traditionally observed by the people of both the countries on the bank of the river.

The additional concern for this year is the threat of infiltration of the Rohingya refugees who are always in search of opportunities to take shelter in India. The Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh are not far away from Sabroom and it is apprehended that these refugees may try to enter India during the festival.

What multiplied the concern of the security forces in the absence of barbed wire fencing along with the patch where the ‘Baruni Snan Ghat’ is located. However, security forces are deploying additional personnel to ensure that nobody from among the Rohingya refugees can enter taking advantage of the gathering on the occasion.

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