RANGPUR, Dec 14, 2019 (BSS) – Emotion turned the Chapasa-Kochol border in
Thakurgaon into a human sea on Friday when blood-bonded relatives living in
Bangladesh and West Bengal met each-others from across the barbed-wire
fences.
President of the ‘Milan Mela Organising Committee’ Nagen Paul told
reporters that the event is being arranged during the ‘Patharkali Puja’ along
the Chapas-Kochol border between Haripur and Ranisonkoil upazilas along the
Kulik riverbank every year.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF)
extended assistance to the ‘Milan Mela Organising Committee’ in arranging the
event there on the ‘Patharkali Puja’ occasion like in the previous years.
“Around one-lakh Bangalees from either side of the common international
borders rushed there to meet relatives amid indescribable human emotion, love
and affection with tears of joy for seven hours from 10 am to 5 pm on
Friday,” Nagen said.
The relatives including men, women and people of all ages waited for the
last one year, rushed to the border and exchanged well-wishes, greetings,
presentations while knowing whereabouts of each-other standing alongside the
barbed-wire fences.
Thousands of Bangalee relatives, living in the two next-door neighbouring
countries, came together to ‘see eye to eye’ there this time.
After searching a lot, some of them wished to catch a little chest after
meeting their relatives, but expectations of the men and women present there
were not met because of the barbed-wire fences.
Many broke into tears while responding to their close relatives from long
distance and many of them had to go back home with tears without seeing their
beloved ones.
“I have come to meet my uncle, who lives in India, with my family members
after 10 years,” Rawshan Elahi, came from Birganj upazila in Dinajpur
district, said adding that he was very happy to meet him after a long time.
Ranu Pal, came from Gabtali upazila in Bogura to meet her nephew and their
family members, said, “I am very happy. They gave us different gifts. We also
gifted them.”
Nagendra Nath and his wife came from Uttar Lehemba village in Ranisankail
upazila of Thakurgaon to meet their daughter living in Naxalbari area in
India.
“After a lot of research, we found our daughter and happy to meet and
talking to her after a long time,” said Nagendra.
Like many other visitors, Nagendra thanked the BGB, BSF and the organising
committee for arranging such an event to enable thousands of relatives to
meet their near and dear ones.