Encroachers grab abandoned rly track

Though more than 40 years have elapsed since the Liberation of the country, this abandoned railway line has not been reinstalled yet. The reasons for that are not known. But this spacious abandoned railway line is continually shrinking, causing concern among locals

An abandoned railway line from the border town of Chilahati in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district to the no-man’s land, some 7km long, is gradually being encroached upon through the erection of various kinds of makeshift structures. Reliable sour­ces dis­clo­sed that before 1965, train communications did occur through this track bet­ween the erstwhile East Pakis­tan and India. Every­day, a train—named the ‘passport train’—used to ply bet­ween these two countries. At that time, the people of these two neighbouring countries travelled between India and Pakistan by this atrain by dint of their passports. When a battle started between the then Pakistan and India in 1965 over the possession of an enclave named Beru Bari, the then Pakistani government—apprehending the entry of Indian soldiers through this railway line—lifted it very soon in order to thwart the arrival of such soldiers. Though the battle ceased after several days, this lifted railway line has not been reinstalled till now. Railway communication between these two countries though this track, therefore, is no longer possible.
Seven years after that battle of 1965, East Pakistan was liberated as Bangladesh in 1971. Though more than 40 years have elapsed since the Liberation of the country, this abandoned railway line has not been reinstalled yet. The reasons for that are not known. But this spacious abandoned railway line is continually shrin­king, cau­sing con­cern among locals. Till now, some 100 kinds of makeshift structures have been erected on it. Some civil society members told The Independent that if the government had planted trees on this fallow line, it could have earned several crores of taka by now. A forest officer of Domar range office, Sitanath Ray, told this correspondent: “We can earn huge amounts of money from tree plantations. On the other hand, if a continuous afforestation programme is undertaken, no one would be able to encroach upon the line.” Some locals said, preferring anonymity, that though they had sought a lease for this line for establishing tree plantations several times, such a lease was not given for unknown reasons.

 

Encroachers grab abandoned rly track

Though more than 40 years have elapsed since the Liberation of the country, this abandoned railway line has not been reinstalled yet. The reasons for that are not known. But this spacious abandoned railway line is continually shrinking, causing concern among locals

An abandoned railway line from the border town of Chilahati in Domar upazila of Nilphamari district to the no-mans land, some 7km long, is gradually being encroached upon through the erection of various kinds of makeshift structures. Reliable sources disclosed that before 1965, train communications did occur through this track between the erstwhile East Pakistan and India. Everyday, a trainnamed the passport trainused to ply between these two countries. At that time, the people of these two neighbouring countries travelled between India and Pakistan by this atrain by dint of their passports. When a battle started between the then Pakistan and India in 1965 over the possession of an enclave named Beru Bari, the then Pakistani governmentapprehending the entry of Indian soldiers through this railway linelifted it very soon in order to thwart the arrival of such soldiers. Though the battle ceased after several days, this lifted railway line has not been reinstalled till now. Railway communication between these two countries though this track, therefore, is no longer possible. Seven years after that battle of 1965, East Pakistan was liberated as Bangladesh in 1971. Though more than 40 years have elapsed since the Liberation of the country, this abandoned railway line has not been reinstalled yet. The reasons for that are not known. But this spacious abandoned railway line is continually shrinking, causing concern among locals. Till now, some 100 kinds of makeshift structures have been erected on it. Some civil society members told The Independent that if the government had planted trees on this fallow line, it could have earned several crores of taka by now. A forest officer of Domar range office, Sitanath Ray, told this correspondent: We can earn huge amounts of money from tree plantations. On the other hand, if a continuous afforestation programme is undertaken, no one would be able to encroach upon the line. Some locals said, preferring anonymity, that though they had sought a lease for this line for establishing tree plantations several times, such a lease was not given for unknown reasons.