Last batch from Panchagarh leaves for India today

As part of the process to relocate former enclave dwellers, 34 people of 12 families from three enclaves -- Dohola Khagrabari and Coatbhajini in Debiganj upazila and Behuladanga in Boda upazila of Panchagarh district -- will go to India today.

Those people, forming the last batch undr the relocation process, will enter the neighbouring country through Chilahati-Haldibari border check post in Nilphamari district the same day.   

The people were supposed to go to India with early batches which left for the country on November 22, 23, 24 and 26.

After getting travel passes, they delayed going to India as they fell in trouble to sell their lands for fair prices to the locals.  

Sensing it, the district administration took initiative to buy their lands with actual market prices on behalf of the government. 

After completing all formalities of selling lands, the administration handed over Tk 52.51 lakh to the people in cash yesterday afternoon.    

Of them, Domashu Roy, 55, son of late Boishanju Roy of former enclave Behuladanga in Boda upazila, got Tk 29 lakh 68 thousand 704 for his four acres and 12 decimals of land.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin handed over the sum to them yesterday afternoon. 

Receiving the amount, Domashu told this correspondent that he was happy by selling the land with actual market price and thanked the district administration for this. 

During a joint survey conducted by the India-Bangladesh survey team in July, as many as 487 former enclave dwellers of 98 families opted to relocate to India. 

Of them, five people changed their decision to go to India at the eleventh hour.

The district administration has already arranged vehicles for transporting their goods to the check post.

In Kurigram, 16 people of five families from now defunct Dashiarchhara enclave in Phulbari upazila of the district left for India yesterday, reports our correspondent.

In the third and last batch, they got together at the ground of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Dakhil Madrasa at Dashiarchhara in the morning and started their journey with goods by two microbuses and four pick-up vans to Bagbhandar-Shahebganj border check post in Bhurungamari upazila around 10:00am.     

A touching scene appeared at the madrasa ground when the vehicles carrying the people started for India.

After completing all process of immigration, they entered India around 4:00pm where Indian High Commissioner Shailendra Kishore and Phulbari UNO Nasir uddin Mahmud were present.