“I am hearing that houses, shops and even temples are being ransacked. I don’t know what will happen to me. But I have to return to my family as soon as possible,” a worried Radharani said.
“I have heard that miscreants have started to ransack, loot, and burn houses in my area. We are very scared. We do not know what will happen when we return. But I have to. My family, my sons, all are there,” she added.
A resident of Jhenaidah in Bangladesh, almost 90 km from Petrapole, Radharani had come to see her daughter in Barasat in North 24 Parganas before protests broke out in her home country.
Radharani was not the only one in the group of people heading back to Bangladesh through Petrapole — the South Asia’s largest land port that plays a key role in the trade between India and Bangladesh – gripped by uncertainty and fear.
Parimal Chandra Ghosh (65), a resident of Barishal in Bangladesh, said: “I’m hearing that violence has started. I am scared. But where else will I go… Today is the last day of my visa to expire. I have to return home. Don’t know whether I will get any transport there. Don’t know how I will reach home.”
Ghosh is a businessman who has relatives in West Bengal.
“We are all tense about what will happen when we return home. I have heard from neighbours that violence is taking place,” said Basudeb Bayen, who stays near the residence of Ghosh.
“Everything is uncertain. I don’t know what to say,” echoed Noor Haq (32), who was heading to his home in Satkhira.
So far, authorities at the Petrapole land port are allowing Bangladesh citizens to return back to their country, and also allowing both Indian and Bangladesh nationals entering India.
Russel Mondol (21), a resident of Jhenaidah, studies engineering at a college in Meghalaya. Entering India through the border check-post, he said: “I saw with my own eyes miscreants looting shops and setting fire to them. Houses of Awami League leaders are being ransacked and set on fire.”
“Somehow, I managed to make it to Petrapole. Now, I will go to Howrah station to catch a train to Meghalaya. The violence and ransacking of statues of our nation’s founding fathers are unacceptable,” Russel said, referring to the statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman being vandalised in his country.
Meanwhile, with further deterioration of the situation in Bangladesh, authorities have started calling back drivers of 724 goods-laden trucks. Till date, 105 Indian drivers are still in the Bangladesh side of the land port. At least 724 trucks loaded with goods are still stranded at Benapole, the Bangladesh side of the border.
Trade has completely stopped at the land port since 3 pm on Monday as news poured in of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country.
The land port, which on a normal day sees an average 450 to 500 trucks going to Bangladesh and 150 to 200 trucks coming in, wore a deserted look on Tuesday.
“Local drivers have started to return since yesterday (Monday) evening. But today we have been given orders to bring back 105 Indian drivers… We fear the situation in Bangladesh will further deteriorate,” said Kartik Chakraborty, Secretary, Petrapole Clearing Agents Staff Welfare Association.
“The movement of vehicles, good trucks continued to be suspended. We don’t see trade opening up anytime soon,” Chakraborty added.
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