Unfenced stretch in Karimganj a safe passage for infiltrators

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The unfenced India-Bangladesh border along the Kushiara River in Karimganj town is still a safe passage for infiltrators from the other side of the international border.

The Karimganj sector of the India-Bangladesh border from Bhanga-Kukitara is 94 km, including a 36 km riverine border along the Kushiara River. The three km stretch from Sarisha to Khalachhara along the river bank is still unfenced. Infiltrators do enter Assam through this stretch. The BSF catches infiltrators from time to time.

The BSF and the fencing construction company have requested the district authority many a time to ensure land acquisition in that stretch but to no avail. Border fencing in the Karimganj district started in 2005. However, the border fencing of this three-km portion came to a halt in 2009 following protests from landowners. Since then, the Tarun Gogoi Government and the Sarbananda Sonowal government came but did nothing to plug this gap. In January 2016, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, former Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and AASU (All Assam Students' Union) leaders visited this unfenced border in Karimganj. They assured the people of fencing the gap by December 2016. However, that stretch is still unfenced.

The width of the Kushiara River is so narrow that people can cross it by swimming. There are allegations that people from Bangladesh cross the river in the morning and go back to Bangladesh in the evening after working as daily-wage earners in the Karimganj District.

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