Obstruction to survey work at Bangladesh-India border in Sylhet

May 9, 2025, 10:32 pm

Sylhet Bureau

Villagers obstructed a joint survey team, forcing the team and members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to retreat. This incident has sparked widespread discussion and criticism.

As part of the Bangladesh-India joint survey, the team attempted to measure a playground under Bangladesh’s possession. Upon receiving the news, residents from nearby villages rushed to the site and obstructed the survey work. Consequently, the joint survey team and BSF members had to leave the area.

The incident occurred around 11:30 AM on Thursday in the border-adjacent Naljuri area of Gowainghat Upazila, Sylhet.

The matter was confirmed by Lt. Colonel Md. Nazmul Haque, Commander of the 48th BGB. He stated that the villagers were unaware of the survey work, leading to tension due to misunderstandings. The situation is currently calm.

According to BGB sources, as part of the 2015 enclave exchange agreement, disputed border areas and enclaves were exchanged. However, some areas still await the installation of boundary pillars to finalize possession. The Naljuri area in Gowainghat is one such territory.

The same source revealed that the playground where the survey team went to measure today is under Bangladesh’s control. According to the agreement, a portion of this area is supposed to be transferred to India. The joint survey team from Bangladesh and India visited the site to measure the land as part of the survey process, with BGB and BSF members present to provide security.

Recent posts on X and news reports indicate heightened tensions in the Naljuri area of Gowainghat, Sylhet, over the survey of the playground, locally referred to as “Amswapna”

Villagers confronted the joint survey team and BSF, perceiving the survey as an attempt by India to encroach on Bangladeshi land. Locals, including patriotic youths, reportedly chased away the BSF and survey officials, leading to a heated exchange. The situation has drawn significant attention, with social media posts reflecting strong sentiments of resistance among locals, who view the survey as an infringement on Bangladesh’s sovereignty.

These accounts, however, are based on social media sentiments and cannot be independently verified as conclusive evidence. The BGB’s statement emphasizes a misunderstanding as the cause of the unrest, and no reports confirm any violent escalation or ongoing conflict as of now. The broader context of Bangladesh-India border relations, including recent incidents of BSF trespassing and border killings, has fueled public discontent, as noted in reports about villagers resisting BSF actions in other border areas