Indian citizen Basir Uddin said he and his hundred other compatriots could die in floodwater if they were not allowed to enter Bangladeshi territory on Saturday evening when Dharla River kept overflowing its danger mark.
“We just managed to escape a certain death after strong current caused by recent flash flood started posing threat to our lives and properties,” said Basir, who is in his seventies now.
Recalling the nightmare he came across on the fateful evening of Saturday, Basir said he considered himself extremely lucky to be still alive.
“I will never forget the ordeal I faced as I was just about to die if I was denied entry into Bangladesh,” said Basir, giving full credit to Bangladeshi authorities in Lalmonirhat.
Basir is among around 800 Indians, including a number of children, hailing from two areas of Cooch Behar district under the Indian state of West Bengal, who have taken shelter in Lalmonirhat, a northern district of Bangladesh.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) told the Dhaka Tribune on Monday that the flood-affected Indian citizens were provided shelter in Mogolhat and Durgapur union parishads of Sadar and Aditmari upazilas of the district.
Locals of the two upazilas said the troubled people started thronging the two union parishads and taking shelter in homes and streets on Saturday evening.
Many of the Indians took shelter in the homes of their relatives or acquaintances in the district.
This correspondent visited numerous homes and some shelter centres in the two upazilas and found that the Indians in trouble include a number of children, women and elderly people.
During the spot visit, some expecting mothers were also noticed in the shelter centres.
Arjina Khatun, a seven months pregnant woman, came to Lalmonirhat along with her husband, their three daughters and a son to avert fatalities in their village home in Cooch Behar.
Meanwhile, people of Lalmonirhat are highly elated to give shelter to the Indians.
Reazul Haq, a resident of Sadar upazila, said: “There should not be any question over crossing the borderlines when it comes to natural disaster or any other massive crisis.
“Keeping the matter in mind, we stood by the flood-affected Indians only to help them in such a tough situation.”
When contacted, Lalminirhat 15 BGB Battalion Commanding Officer Lt Col Golam Morshed said they allowed the Indian nationals to get into Bangladesh considering the humanitarian ground.
“We are gathering information on the Indian nationals’ whereabouts, who are from Daibas and Jari Dhorola areas under Dinhata subdivision,” he added.
However, many of the Indians were reeling from growing uncertainty since they left behind their assets and cattle back home.
Their concern over earning a bread is also spiraling with days going by.
“Me and my husband used to work in a garment factory in Delhi. But, I do not know how we could be employed again,” said Meher Bani, who expressed her gratitude to Bangladeshi people and the BGB for the shelter.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
