12 Shamsherganj: If rubble and ashes lined the streets of trouble-torn Shamsherganj till Wednesday, efforts to rebuild took over on Thursday. Across Jangipur, especially Shamsherganj, people were out on the streets. A large section of shops have opened, and bus movement remained normal. Police and CAPF jawans conducted route marches.
The day started with senior politicians and traders holding a meeting at Shamsherganj police station where they promised to contribute Rs 1 crore to help rebuild the damaged business establishments. Senior district officials also reached out to Dhuliyan's Bethbona village, handing out relief to families.
According to sources, the Shamsherganj meeting was attended by Trinamool Congress Jangipur MP Khalilur Rahaman, the party's RS MP Samirul Islam, MLA Bayron Biswas, and local industrialist Ramakrishna Singh. SP Ananda Roy presided over the meeting. A committee will be formed to assess the losses incurred by traders. On Thursday itself, two attendees pledged to donate Rs 45 lakh each. The week-long violence has shut down the multi-crore bidi industry in the region. The industry provides direct employment to about five lakh people, mostly women.
Murshidabad DM Rajarshi Mitra and ADM Dinanarayan Ghosh camped at Bethbona, along with central forces. Among the relief items handed out were torches and lanterns, food and clothes.
Nirmala Mondal, a recipient of the relief items, said: "It's pitch dark at night. All electricity wires in the village were cut off during the April 12 attacks and the power is still not back. The darkness is blinding and scary. We hope the administration agrees to our demand for a BSF camp right outside our village."