Violence-hit Bangla citizens use medical visa to cross over to India, ET TravelWorld

Bhakti Dhali, a resident of Bharatkathi village in Bangladesh’s Pirojpur located about 180 km from the Petrapole border, had not slept at night since Aug 3. She and her husband Parimal were awake till 4 am even on Friday, waiting for dawn. They had been pinning hopes on a medical visa that they had prepared on an earlier visit to India barely weeks ago to cross the border on Friday. Like Dhali, Partha Das from Pirojpur and Mahima Akhter from Jessore also took help of their medical visas to come across the border.

For some Indians, like Supti Modak of Ranaghat and Beauty Rani Biswas of Nabadwip, who were stuck at Shariatpur close to Dhaka and Sirajganj – and witnessed the violence at close quarters – the traumatic experience of the past five days lingered even after they reached the Indian soil at Petropole on Friday.

Dhali said, “It was a nightmare on the night of Aug 3. A large mob surrounded our neighbourhood, all of us being members of Awami League. The moment I saw them, my daughter and I ran out to a garden and finally to a jute field next to our residence. The mob demanded INR 12,000 from the Awami League’s gram panchayat, our kin. They gave her five minutes and she managed to arrange INR 4,500. The mob then went on a rampage – my family members were abused and the rooms ransacked. They even uprooted the basins, commodes and bathroom fittings.”

Indian visa centres closed indefinitely due to 'unstable situation' in Bangladesh

Indian visa centers across Bangladesh closed due to political unrest, but Indian diplomatic missions remained operational. India evacuated non-essential staff from its High Commission and consulates. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is expected to lead an interim government after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. The situation remains tense as India monitors developments.

The mob returned the next night, she said. But this time, her neighbours and even the cops – who had deserted the local police station – moved in. “It was a literal cat-and-mouse chase as we kept evading the vandals. Between Aug 3 and 5, I could see houses being set on fire and Awami members being threatened all around our villages.” Dhali said. Akhter said her own area MP in Jessore was attacked on Aug 5. “The first day’s vandalism was an expression of frustration. We felt let down, too, when Sk Hasina left the country without taking us into confidence. But when this loot continued for more than 48 hours, I got tense when my relative’s residence was set on fire,” said Akhter.Biswas, who is associated with Iskcon and was in Bangladesh to attend meetings at Dhaka and Sylhet, was stuck at Shariatpur and Barisal for three nights. “I was at Shariatpur when a call was given for a gathering on the morning of Aug 4. What followed was open vandalism and attacks. Mobs took control of the streets and the houses. There was looting and arson. I kept changing my address each night,” she said. Modak told TOI she was in Faridpur when violence broke out. “I had initially planned to stay three months with my relatives. But every moment after Aug 3 was stressful. Dacoity and thefts were reported from the apartment building I was staying at and we used to be awake all night preparing to take on the mob,” Modak said.