Bonhomie at 'fallen' post

By Barun Das Gupta

PYRDIWAH (Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya), APRIL 18. The BSF border outpost (BOP) in this village which was reportedly ``besieged'' and `captured' by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on Sunday night is very much accessible as this correspondent found for himself at midday today.

The tricolour was flying, the jawans were in fine fettle, their morale was high and were well stocked with their rations and other supplies. Glasses of sherbet were readily offered to the visitors.

The BDR men entered Pyrdiwah on Sunday midnight and opened firing which continued till Monday morning. When the panicky villagers, about 700, fled their homes and took shelter in a nearby hillock, their personal belongings and cattle were looted by the Bangladeshis.

The BDR, supported by ``civilians'', believed to the regular Bangladesh Army personnel in `mufti', started digging trenches and increasing deploying on its side of the border.

The BDR personnel want the BSF personnel to vacate their post, which the former claim is in Bangladesh territory. The BSF men have refused to oblige them. But the BDR has not tried to block the entry or exit of the BSF.

The BDR has put up a ``gate'' on the way to the BSF post, but Indian officers and men are allowed free access.

Meanwhile, the BSF has occupied the surrounding hill features and taken up positions to prevent further attempts at incursion by BDR.

Mr. V. S. Ahlawat, DIG, BSF, who was at the Pyrdiwah post, said it is indeed situated on the Bangladesh side of the border pillar. This has been the position since partition. Way back in 1960, a meeting between the then East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) and 181 Brigade of the Indian Army recorded this fact and it was agreed that the status quo should be maintained.

However, after Bangladesh was born, the BDR has been claiming this area of about 325 acres and demanding that India vacate it. But there has never been any attempt to take possession by force.

So, the entry of BDR men on Sunday night to ``show the flag'', as it were, at Pyrdiwah, took the Indian side by surprise. A BSF patrol party was fired upon on April 16-17 night without provocation but this the BDR denied later at a flag meeting. But they also made it clear that they were going to stay put and would not budge unless ordered to do so by Dhaka. This gave the impression that the orders to occupy Pyrdiwah came from the Bangladesh Government.

The timing of the BDR move is considered significant. General elections are slated for October in Bangladesh. The Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, is facing mounting hositility from the Opposition which is demanding her immediate resignation. The Opposition consists of Islamic fundamentalists and pro-Pakistan elements who portray Sheikh Hasina as ``pro-India.''

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