Kolkata: The situation remained tense at the India-Bangladesh international border after a clash between farmers of both the countries took place on the morning of Saturday (January 18) at Shukdebpur, under the 119th Battalion’s India-Bangladesh border outpost in Malda district of West Bengal.
The conflict between Indian and Bangladeshi farmers resulted over a farming dispute. The situation escalated when a group of Indian farmers, as part of their routine activities, went to harvest crops near the international border.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has categorically termed it as a localised dispute between farmers from both sides, escalating into minor hooliganism. Both the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) intervened promptly to de-escalate the situation and restore order.
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The Indian farmers accused Bangladeshi farmers of crossing over and harvesting ripe wheat from their fields, sparking an argument. In response, Bangladeshi farmers alleged that Indian farmers had entered the Shibganj area in groups, cutting down trees and damaging crops, which initiated the dispute.
The incident occurred in a border region where disputes over land have persisted for over a year. Shukdebpur, a village under Baishnabnagar police station in Malda, is located close to the international border. Although the area is fenced with barbed wire, a 1,200-meter stretch at the back of the village remains unfenced due to ongoing disagreements.
“For the past year, border disputes have been ongoing here. The border line is not straight but irregular. Almost all villagers in Shukdebpur have farmlands within 500 yards of the zero point. Indian farmers have been cultivating their land near the border with proper identification for years. On the other side is Bangladesh’s Shibganj area, where Bangladeshi farmers also have farmlands adjacent to the border,” said Nabakumar Mondal, a resident of Shukdebpur.
The 1,200-metre open stretch became a point of contention after the BSF began work on filling the land for fencing in early 2024. On January 7, when BSF started placing barbed wire, the BGB objected. A discussion between both sides took place on January 10, ultimately leading to the suspension of fencing work in that area. BSF later informed the central government about the issue, as it involved an international border dispute.
Rising tensions amid allegations of crops being looted
As a result of the open border, Indian farmers have reported incidents of theft, with miscreants from across the border allegedly looting crops. A video has gone viral showing a group shouting provocative slogans near the barbed-wire fence.
“I fear revealing my identity as I live near the border. BGB is allowing Bangladeshis easy entry into India through an open gate, while we, the rightful landowners, must follow strict regulations to farm our land. Now, our crops are being looted, and the conflict is ongoing. People are scared to go to their own land,” A said a local villager from Shukdebpur, who wished to remain anonymous.
On Saturday (January 18), the dispute escalated into a serious confrontation. Large groups of farmers from both sides gathered, exchanging verbal abuse before resorting to stone-pelting. Since only light fencing separates the area, Indian farmers had no physical barriers preventing them from advancing.
BSF personnel and their BGB counterparts rushed to the scene upon receiving reports of the clashes. Security forces intervened, dispersing the farmers and restoring order. However, during the confrontation, two BSF personnel and several local villagers sustained injuries from stone attacks. Eventually, BSF used stun grenades to disperse the agitated crowd.
BSF advises Indian farmers to avoid direct condrontation
The BSF has advised Indian farmers to avoid direct confrontation and report any border-related agricultural disputes to the authorities. Towards the end of the conflict, BGB also played a positive role by taking immediate measures to prevent further escalation, according to local resident Krishnakanta Mondal.
The BSF and BGB unit commanders have since been working to improve coordination to prevent such incidents in the future. While the farmers were fully dispersed, reports suggest that as late as Sunday (January 19) evening, a few Bangladeshi individuals were still present within 50-75 meters of the international border, prompting the BGB to continuously remove them.
“We have lived in the border area for years, farming this land to sustain our families. Peace and good relations between both countries have always ensured the safety of ordinary people. Such attacks from Bangladesh never happened before. Now, a group of miscreants, with BGB’s backing, is creating trouble. The Indian government must intervene immediately and find a permanent solution since this is about the livelihoods of poor farmers,” said Chiranjit Mondal, a resident of a nearby village.
Meanwhile, the Malda district administration has remained silent on the matter. A local official stated, “This is a matter of international border discussions, and we cannot comment on it.”
Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya.
