Tripura to take up Bangladesh embankment issue with Centre: Official

The Tripura government will soon take up with the Central government the issue of the embankment, being constructed unilaterally by the Bangladesh government on its land as it might endanger the state's Unakoti district town Kailashahar and border villages during monsoon, officials said on Saturday.

An official team led by Unakoti district’s District Magistrate Dilip Kumar Chakma visited the bordering areas on Friday and later said that he would submit a report to the state government on the issue so that the state government could take up the matter with the Central government for appropriate steps.

A senior official here said that after getting the DM’s report, the state government would take up the issue with the Centre and discuss with the Bangladesh government to stop the construction of the embankment along the Manu River, which divides the two countries.

The official quoting the preliminary information said that the Bangladesh government without any discussion with the Indian authorities trying to build the 10 km long concrete embankment just along the zero line to protect their areas from flood waters.

Bangladesh has already constructed around 3 km embankment and work is going on to construct the remaining portion, the official said, adding that after the construction of the embankment with huge height the Unakoti district town Kailashahar and many border villages would be badly affected during monsoon due to recurring flood.

“As per the Indira-Mujib pact, signed on March 19, 1972, and according to the 1975 Joint India-Bangladesh guidelines for border authorities, no structure unilaterally can be constructed within 150 yards from the zero line of the international boundary by either side,” the official said.

There is an embankment on the Indian side, constructed several decades ago, more than 350 yards from the zero line but the height of that old embankment is very low.

“The height of the embankment on our side has to be raised substantially otherwise district town Kailashahar and many border villages would be submerged by the flood water during monsoon,” the official pointed out.

Congress MLA from Kailashahar Birajit Sinha, also a former minister, raised the embankment issue in the just concluded winter session of the Tripura Assembly and urged the state government to take up the matter with the Centre.

Responding to the Congress MLA’s matter, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha had told the house that he would take up the matter with the Centre.

While, BSF in Tripura Frontier through a clarification regarding construction of an embankment on the Manu River by Bangladesh near Rangnauti, said “an old elevated kacha track exists in Bangladesh territory opposite to the area of BOP Rangauti connecting Bangladeshi village Sharipur and Devipur. In Bangladesh territory this is being used for pedestrians, cycle and auto rickshaws for conveyance of people from one village to another village. During Monsoon season the top kacha portion of the bund got damaged resulting in a number of potholes which Bangladesh tried to repair  by putting fresh earth in the month of November. As some portion of elevated kacha track falls within 150 yards of International Boundary, immediately it was observed by BSF and on 8th Nov 2024 a casual contact was made with BGB Post Alinager 46 BGB and a strong protest was lodged to stop the work immediately. Thereafter the work was stopped by Bangladesh.”

BSF added that the Manu river flows close to International border. The river Manu enters into Bangladesh near BOP Lathipura and further flows towards Bangladesh. Manu river is approx 700 meters away from the elevated road which is being projected as a bandh of Manu River.

Further the matter was discussed with DM Unakoti by DIG BSF Panisagar and apprised him about the actual ground realities, said BSF through statement and added that BSF is fully committed to maintaining the sanctity of the international border and will not allow any violation of the established ground rules.