A different day at Gobindapur

Thousands from Bangladesh, India greet each other across the barbed wire

24 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Quamrul Islam Rubaiyat, Thakurgaon

It was a different scene at Gobindapur village under Haripur upazila in Thakurgaon district as thousands of Bangla speaking people from both sides of the border gathered to meet their near and dear ones on the occasion of Pathar Kali Mela Friday. Standing on both sides of the barbed wire near border pillar No 346 adjoining Kochal and Chapshar, people of neighbouring Bangladesh and India exchanged greetings, good wishes and heartily talked with their near and dear ones. Pathar Kali Mela is held at the village on the bank of Kulic River on the first Friday after the Kali Puja since the British period, said Nagendra Kumer Pal, president of mela committee. People from different districts of the two countries, who came here to meet their relatives, were seen exchanging various things including biscuits, chanachur, pens, clothes and towels. Seeing near and dear ones after a long time, many could not check their tears. Many people from different districts of the two countries came here to meet their relatives. After partition of the country in 1947, meeting among relatives living on two sides of the border became hard, especially for those who cannot manage the expenditure for visiting relatives in the other country, said several people who came here to meet their relatives on Friday. This day gives them the rare opportunity, they said. "I met with my nephew Salek of Thaldangi village under Haripur upazila in Thakurgaon after 11 years," said Serajul Islam, 30, of Paharpur village under Paschim Dinajpur district in West Bengal in India. Deben, 60, came from Makorhat village of Murshidabad in West Bengal to meet his sister Shefali, 52, an inhabitant of Gaibandha district. Mohan, 35, Azizul, 32, and Atosh, 28, from Dinajpur, Polash Boshak from Panchagarh came to meet with their relatives. "Due to partition of the country, many people's relatives live on two sides of the border. The authorities should create opportunity for their meeting," said Jitendranath, a teacher of Islamabad in India. "Upon request from the people, we unofficially allow them to meet with their relatives," said a company commander of Indian Border Security Force. "On the occasion of the yearly fair, people from both sides of the border come here to meet with their relatives. The large gathering is held amid peace and discipline," Commanding Officer of 2 Rifles Battalion Lt Col Mamunur Rashid said.