ZCZC
BSS-28
CELEBRATIONS-ENCLAVES (with picture)
Former enclaves jubilant on 3rd anniversary of exchange
RANGPUR, Aug 01, 2018 (BSS) – All 111 former enclaves in four northern districts of Rangpur division today were reverberated with jubilation following colourful celebrations of the third anniversary of the historic land exchange between Bangladesh and India.
More than 37,000 people of 12 former enclaves in 12 Kurigram, 59 in Lalmonirhat, four in Nilphamari and 36 in Panchagarh celebrated the occasion through colourful programmes amid huge festivity and fanfare.
The programmes included lighting of 68 candles at zero hours, hoisting of national flag and singing of national anthem this morning followed by rallies, discussions, rural sports competitions, cultural functions and prize distribution in all erstwhile enclaves.
The programme also included placing of wreaths at portraits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, cake cutting, distribution of sweets, offering of special prayers and munajats at religious institutions.
National flag was hoisted atop all houses, hats, bazaars and educational institutions and thousands of people, including children, adolescents, young boys and girls, men and women brought out rallies and danced everywhere in the erstwhile enclaves.
In Kurigram, people of former Dashiarchhara enclave under Fulbari upazila participated in the candle-lit programme on Kalirhat Government Primary School ground at zero hours followed by colourful programmes there and allover Dashiarchhara today.
With General Secretary of Bangladesh part of defunct India-Bangladesh Enclave Exchanging Coordination Committee Golam Mostafa in the chair, President of Kurigram district Awami League (AL) Aminul Islam Manju Mandal attended the main discussion held there as the chief guest.
Organising Secretary of Kurigram district AL Abu Sayeed Loban, Fulbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Debendranath Urao, General Secretary of upazila AL Golam Rabbani Sarker and leader of former Enclave Exchange Coordination Committee Altaf Hossain addressed as special guests.
In Panchagarh, people of 36 former enclaves gathered at Mofizar Rahman College ground in former Garati enclave under Sadar upazila and at other erstwhile enclaves at zero hours and celebrated the anniversary through similar programmes today.
Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Jahirul Islam, Convener of Panchagarh District Former Enclaves Development Coordination Committee Mofizar Rahman and Principal Md Nurullah hoisted the national flag on Mofizar Rahman College ground today.
Later, they along with local elite and political leaders placed wreaths at portraits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the Shaheed Minar premises there today.
In Nilphamari, people of four former enclaves gathered at Paschim Kharibari under Dimla upazila and residents of 59 former enclaves at Bhitorkuthi under Sadar upazila and other places under Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas in Lalmonirhat to celebrate the occasion.
Talking to BSS, housewife Majeda Begum, 45, of former Dashiarchhara enclave in Kurigram expressed her gratitude to Prime Minsiter Sheikh Hasina for exchanging the enclaves and making their life meaningful through massive uplifts in last three years.
Motijan Bewa, 65, of the same commune requested the media to convey her greetings and thanks on behalf of all citizens of erstwhile enclaves to Prime Minsiter Hasina for giving them country, citizenship, identity and everything to begin life anew.
The former enclave people also prayed for long life, sound health and continuous success of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu and most of his family members who were assassinated on August 15, 1975.
BSS/SPL/MI/KU/1905 HRS