The Hindu : National : Elections in a smugglers’ paradise

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Tuesday, Apr 07, 2009
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National

Elections in a smugglers’ paradise

Raktima Bose

Cross border smuggling of fertiliser and cumin seeds is a fact of life in villages along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Nadia district. “The administration and political parties turn a blind eye to it because objecting would result in losing votes.

“The elections are coming and we need the vote of the people. We cannot jeopardize our party’s chances of winning by tipping off the authorities about the smugglers. That would risk angering those engaged in such illegal activities,” says Saheb Ali Sardar, panchayat member of Hatkhola, one of the border villages. He belongs to the Congress, which was victorious in the last panchayat election in the village.

Abject poverty and lack of job opportunities are driving the youth of these villages to smuggling, even if it means running the risk of tangling with the Border Security Force jawans.

Many villagers have lost their lands to Bangladesh post-Partition in 1947. For those who retained the farmlands in no-man’s land, life is dependent on the BSF jawans who are in charge of the gates. “It is like being prisoners in our own land, no matter who comes to power after the polls,” rues Hasan Nabi Biswas, a villager.

So the smuggling continues. Sacks of fertilisers and cumin are thrown over the fence to Bangladesh and money is thrown back. Each sack of fertiliser fetches Rs. 500. “Candidates cutting across the party lines are the same. They promise a lot before the elections and never care to look back at us after winning,” Ganesh Swarnakar, one of the villagers says.

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