Barbed wire fences couldn't tame Durga Puja celebrations on Bangladesh-India border

The Hili land port and border checkpoint, on the Bangladesh-India border, has turned into a meeting hub on the occasion of Durga Puja, reports the United News of India (UNI).

Hundreds of people were seen crowding on both sides near the zero point of the two neighbouring countries – some to witness the puja, and some to meet their relatives.

The number of passengers crossing the Bangladesh-India border has doubled in the past few days.

Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Border Security Force (BSF) have strengthened their security measures.

Every day from 9am to 6:30pm, visitors and devotees of both countries were seen coming to the Hilli border area in their cars, microbuses and pickups to enjoy puja celebrations.

But due to the barbed wire fence and strict surveillance, visitors from both countries are being forced to stand on opposite sides, far from the zero point of the border, embracing each other from afar, taking pictures and turning sadness into joy

Bangladesh's Shri Ganesh Barman, Karthik, Lakshmi and some others who came to the border told UNI that even though the two Bengals [West Bengal and Bangladesh] are divided by barbed wire fencing, it could not divide their minds.

"Before, two Bengals were the same. So we rushed to the border with the pull of love, the pull of life, the pull of the pulse. Also, we have many relatives in India. After a long time, we met relatives from afar at the border. Our passports don't have Indian visas so we cant enter India," they added. 

"Only those who have passports and visas can cross the border to meet their relatives. Those without passport visas are only visiting relatives from afar."

Meanwhile, Mohammad Badiuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Hili Immigration Checkpost, said that many Hindu visitors from India are coming to Bangladesh to witness Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindus.

On the other hand, many travellers from Bangladesh are crossing the border to celebrate puja and visit their relatives in India.