Shillong: Amid unrest in Bangladesh following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister and her leaving the country, people of a village located a few metres from the international border in Meghalaya are worried about the possibility of cross-border infiltration.

According to PTI report, people of Lingkhong village in East Khasi Hills district are busy strengthening the bamboo fence that separates their village from Bangladesh and are even staying awake throughout the night to keep watch.

The villagers built a bamboo fence on the border

Over 90 people live in this village, who put up a thin bamboo fence along the border during the Covid pandemic to prevent petty cross-border crimes. Lingkhong is one of the areas in Meghalaya where border fencing could not be constructed due to land demarcation issues and settlements being within 150 yards of the international border pillar or zero line.

If you take a look at the village, you will find that most of the houses here are very close to the international border and the only football ground here is on the zero line, where children play under the constant surveillance of the Border Security Force (BSF).

BSF increased vigilance

Expressing concern, 42-year-old Daria Khongsdir, a resident of this village, told PTI, 'On August 5, when the incidents of violence increased in Bangladesh, we were very worried and could not sleep the whole night. We were afraid that our neighbors in Bangladesh could become violent. It was a matter of relief that the BSF increased its vigilance and deployed more soldiers in its post located in the village.'

He said, 'Along with this, village defense squads and people who stay awake all night to ensure our safety have also been deployed.' Deriya said, 'This bamboo fence is the only security we have. It has helped in preventing petty crimes at the village level, but whether it will be effective in a serious situation or not, nothing can be said.'

Villagers busy strengthening the fence

The villagers have now started planting new bamboos to strengthen the fence. Lingkhong falls within 150 yards of the zero line and as per rules, barbed wire fencing can be erected only after 150 yards. So, when the foundation for the fence was laid in 2021, the village fell outside the fence protection zone.

The work had to be stopped due to protests by the villagers. They also put up bamboo fencing on the zero line and urged the authorities to erect barbed wire fencing along that line. Nearly 80 per cent of the 443-km long India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya has been fenced. Fencing has not been done in areas where Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) has been opposing it or where there is no land for construction.

Approval from Bangladesh pending in 13 areas

A senior officer of the BSF's Meghalaya Frontier said, "As per the agreement, the fence should be built at least 150 yards from the zero line, but this is not always the case. Border Guards Bangladesh sometimes allows fencing on the zero line depending on the population, as is seen in Lingkhong."

The Bangladesh government has agreed to this arrangement at at least seven places along the border in Meghalaya and discussions are on to extend it to Lingkhong. However, approval for at least 13 such areas is still pending and getting approval is a long and arduous process.

Agreement reached in nine years

Without giving details, the official said, "We had sent a similar proposal in 2011, but for some areas, agreement was reached in 2020." Lingkhong resident Dabaling Khongsdir expressed dissatisfaction over the attitude of the Indian government on the fence issue. He said, "It is not right that after the fence, our village goes out of Indian territory. We do not feel safe. We want to live in a safe zone. We have been living here since time immemorial. We hope that the new government of Bangladesh and the Indian government will solve this problem soon."