Last Updated on 11/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
Petrapole, adjacent to the border town of Bongaon in North 24 Parganas, is about 80 km from Kolkata. Since the crisis began in Bangladesh, all borders with the neighbouring country have been put on high alert. Petrapole is one of the most popular border routes that has long been associated with trade and daily movement of Indians and Bangladeshis.
Silence spread on the border
The busy border has been calm since Sheikh Hasina resigned as PM and left her country on August 5. Petrapole is the Indian part of the Petrapole-Benapole border between India and Bangladesh, which is also South Asia’s only land port and Asia’s largest customs station.
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On an average, hundreds of trucks loaded with goods cross this border on normal days. After the violence in Bangladesh, BSF DG Daljit Chaudhary reached the border and talked to various officials and local people living on the border. Although the situation was calm, there was still a lot of uneasiness in the atmosphere.
People were seen roaming with swords on the highway
If on normal days 1000 trucks used to enter India through Petrapole border, then on 6th only 10 to 15 trucks were seen passing through here. Only those with valid permits were allowed inside after checking. A driver from Tamil Nadu while talking to Aaj Tak said that he did not face any major problem while coming from Jessore.
About an hour later, when other trucks arrived from Bangladesh, a driver from Bihar reported something different. The driver said he saw people with swords and sticks roaming on the highway near the border. He was lucky they didn’t attack him.
I was afraid to return home
However, there was confusion rather than relief for the Bangladeshi Hindus returning home through the border. They were scared and were afraid to go to their own country, their own home. Ratan Ranjan, around 50 years old, had come to India for his treatment. While returning to Jessore, he got nervous with the questions of the media. Before crossing the border, he said that he was scared. When asked the reason for this, he said that because he is a Hindu.
‘Indian government please help us’
Bangladeshi Hindu woman Radharani was returning from her daughter and son-in-law’s house in Barasat. She wanted the Indian government to help anyone who wanted to settle in India. The woman said, ‘They hung an Awami League leader upside down in my area. They tortured us minority Hindus. Hasina was a hope. The Indian government can do something and let us stay in India. Many people will come to India.’
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)