2 Indian Bangladeshi women say bye to their Indian national dead mother in a no man’s land of Chuadanga’s Damurhuda Upazila.
The incident took place on Friday afternoon.
Later in a press matter released on Friday night, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) confirmed it.
The dead Fazila Khatun, 70 wife of Abidur Rahman is a resident of Hatkhola village of Chapra police station in Nadia district, India. She died there on Friday morning.
Before her death, Fazila had expressed her wish to take step so that her 2 daughters living in Bangladesh can see her dead body.
Fazila Khatun’s 2 daughters Dalimun, 55 and Rabeya Khatun, 53 are living with their husband and children in Kutubpur village of Chyuadanga’s Damurhuda Upazila in Bangladesh. Both of them were born in Hatkhola village under Chapra police station in India.
More than 3 decades ago, Dalimun got married to Hafizur Rahman of Kutubpur village in Bangladesh. Rabeya got married to Mojibur Rahman of the same village at the same time. Both of them are citizens of Bangladesh now.
Hatkhola in Nadia and Kutubpur of Chuadanga are located next to each other. Only barbed wire fences divided the villages.
Dalimun’s husband Hafizur said that they got the news of Fazila Khatun’s death on Friday morning and came to know her last wish. Dalimun and Rabeya also want to see their mother for the last time.
In such a situation, Hafizur submitted a written to the Chuadanga Battalion (6 BGB) of Border Guard Bangladesh. The BGB immediately contacted its counterparts Indian Border Security Forces (BSF.
Later, arrangement was made at zero line near Main Pillar (93) of Munsipur border.
Dalimun-Rabeya’s sons and daughters were also present along with the close relatives of the 2 families.
On Friday night, director of Chuadanga-6 BGB, Lt. Col. Shah Ishtiaq, said, “The children living in Bangladesh requested to see their mother who died in Indian territory. Keeping it as a part of humanitarian issue, the BGB-BSF, completed the process peacefully in the presence of the near and dear ones of the deceased. The deceased Indian citizen was an Indian by birth and was permanently residing in India with her husband. Deceased has two daughters. They are married and living permanently in Bangladesh with their husband and children.
The notification also mentions that this event will serve as a milestone in maintaining cordial relations between the two countries in the future.
Hafizur, the husband of Fazila Khatun’s daughter Dalimun, told that once they could travel back and forth very easily. Now that is no longer possible as the border has tightened. He has not visited his in-laws in India for the past 2 years.
About their marriage, Hafizur said, “There was a different atmosphere when they got married. There was a lot of kinship going on both sides. Such type marriage is still happening but less in count. Such type of wedding is a custom here.’