Indian villages near the Bangladesh border face severe deprivation and rights violations

By A Representative

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the dire situation in India Para and Nawdapara villages, located within Bagda block along the India-Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas district. These villages, home to Muslim OBC and Hindu Scheduled Caste families, are virtually surrounded by Bangladesh territory, a consequence of the 1947 partition.

A recent survey conducted by MASUM reveals a severe lack of basic amenities and fundamental rights violations. The villages suffer from a lack of proper roads (with only one recently constructed road in Nawdapara following MASUM’s intervention), no primary schools, and no healthcare facilities. Electricity connections are limited to residents living outside a temporary fencing erected by the Border Security Force (BSF), and even those residents face restrictions on their movement within India.

MASUM alleges that the BSF’s “B” Company of Battalion No. 68 effectively controls the civic life of these villages. The organization claims that the BSF's arbitrary placement of temporary fencing, instead of proper border demarcation as per law, puts the villagers and their property at risk. The BSF’s restrictions on movement severely limit the villagers' ability to access essential services and exercise their constitutional rights.

Residents of Nawdapara, primarily dependent on jute and banana cultivation, face frequent interference from the BSF, disrupting their livelihoods and forcing some into smuggling activities as a desperate means of survival. In India Para, a village of 15 Muslim OBC families, the situation is even more dire. With no roads or electricity, the village is virtually cut off from mainstream India. Residents rely on Bangladesh for basic necessities, including medical care, due to BSF restrictions on accessing Indian facilities.

MASUM’s petition highlights several constitutional and legal violations, including infringements on the right to free movement, right to life and personal liberty, right to equality, and denial of basic civic amenities. The organization also points to potential violations of the Electricity Act, 2003, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Scheduled Castes and The Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

MASUM has demanded that the government and relevant authorities take immediate action, including relocating BSF posts to the international border, lifting restrictions on villagers' movement, constructing proper roads, providing electricity and basic amenities, establishing schools and healthcare centers, and ensuring villagers can pursue their livelihoods without interference. They are also demanding an investigation into the BSF’s actions and accountability for any wrongdoing. MASUM urges the government to protect the constitutional rights of the residents and ensure their integration into mainstream Indian society.

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