Indo-Bangla border: Farmers facing 'illegal obstacles' in harvesting, transporting yields

Counterview Desk

In a representation to the chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, human rights defender Kirity Roy, who is secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), has said that Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are creating "illegal obstacles" for farmers seeking to harvest their ripened yields and transport them to the market in village Jhaukuthi of Cooch Behar district.

When an affected farmer complained to district officials, including polic, the BSF Company Commander made visits at his shop and terrorized him of physical harms and threatened him to implicate him in false criminal cases. He even threatened the farmer by saying that he will not permit to bring the onion sprouts to market, and he could contact anybody, but this was not going to help.

Text:

I wish to draw your attention over an incident of highhandedness and illegal obstacle created by Border Security Force personnel to harvest the ripened yields, then transport them to market/ house. Mr. Aziz Fakir, son of Mr. Kepatulla Fakir, and Mr. Sajahan Fakir, son of Mr. Kepatulla Fakir, of village Jhaukuthi of Balabhut Gram Panchayat under Toofangung I Block of Cooch Behar district have cultivated onion in their .66 acre of agrarian land which is situated at the other side of the border fence.

At the time of cultivation, they priorly informed and took permission of the Talai Border Outpost of “F’ Company of 14 BSF Battalion. While the above-mentioned persons visited the BSF Company Commander of Jhaukuthi BOP, Mr. Dida Ram, on 01.03.2024, to take permission to harvest the onion sprouts from their agrarian lands having dag numbers 941and 762 and khatian number 420/1 and 5014 and bring the yields to market for sell, the said Company Commander told them that he will visit the land and then only provide the permission. On 03.03.2024, the farmers again visited the mentioned BOP but the Company Commander did not pay any heed.

After that Mr. Samsheuddin Karmakar; the husband of Gram Panchayet Member; Ms. Aswiya Bibi visited the BOP with same purpose but he was driven out from the BOP with a caution for not to visit the BOP with this purpose. Mr. Samsheuddin Karmakar while visited the mentioned fields, found that two sacks of onion sprouts were confiscated at the Jhaukuthi ‘Four Alfa’ BSF outpost while the farmers tried to bring it to the market.

The two sacks consisting around 120 kilograms of onion sprouts were lying at the river bank for 7 days and getting rotten. Then while Mr. Aziz Fakir, the affected farmer, visited the mentioned Company Commander on 04.03.2024, Mr. Fakir was driven out with threats and humiliations. Mr. Saji P.N, one BSF personnel attached with ‘G’ Branch, even accused the farmer by saying that the onion sprouts are being smuggled in from Bangladesh as he has not cultivated the yields, so the permission for transport would not be given.

While Mr. Samsheuddin Karmakar; the husband of Gram Panchayet Member, Ms. Aswiya Bibi, accompanied the farmers to brought the onion sprouts to the BSF outpost, they were restricted by the posted BSF personnel and when he tried to discuss the matter with Mr. Dida Ram, the Company Commander, Mr. Samsheuddin Karmakar was forced to go away. Mr. Aftar Byapari, Prodhan of Balabhut Gram Panchayat, contacted Mr. Dida Ram, the Company Commander, to resolve the issue but Mr. Dida Ram did not pay any heed to his request.

Then the aggrieved farmers made written submissions to the Sub Divisional Officer, Toofangunj, the Block Development Officer of Toofangunj Block I and Officer in Charge of Toofangunj Police Station. The Block Development Officer of Toofangunj I Block sent a notice to the Assistant Commandant of Madhya Jhaukuthi BOP on 06.03.2024 to resolve the issue but the arrogant BSF personnel has not taken any corrective measure.

Mr. Dida Ram, the Company Commander, made visits to Mr. Aziz Fakir at his shop and terrorized him of physical harms and implicating Mr. Fakir in false criminal cases. He even threatened Mr. Fakir by saying that he will not permit to bring the onion sprouts to market while Mr. Fakir can contact anybody, none could deter him from his decision.

Hence, I demand for:

Immediate stop of this illegal act of BSF to harass the farmers and facilitate the harvest of their yields and subsequent transport of produce to market.
Mr. Dida Ram, the Company Commander, and Mr. Saji P.N of ‘G’ Company must be booked for denying constitutional rights under appropriate legal provisions.
The aggrieved farmers must be compensated for financial loss they incurred due to these illegal acts of BSF personnel.

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