Coronavirus lockdown: Many villagers in Assam living in no man’s land struggle for survival along Indo-Bangladesh border

Guwahati, April 20: Villagers in Assam struggling for survival. The people of many villages of Assam’s Karimganj district who are living in no man’s land along Indo-Bangladesh border are struggling for survival amid lockdown.

No food left at home or no medical assistance, over 70 families of three villages are facing many difficulties during the nationwide ongoing lockdown.

These villagers in Assam struggling for survival are trapped in no man’s land as the Indo-Bangladesh border fencing was constructed at a distance of 150 feet from the international border.

The Border Security Force (BSF) had sealed the international border when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown.

Earlier, the villagers came to the Krimganj side of Assam to purchase essential commodities and to farm in their lands.

But, they have been lockdown in their villages after the international border was completely sealed.

They are facing food scarcity, monetary problems also.

The BSF personnel deployed along the international border have provided drinking water facilities and some foods among the villagers, but it was not sufficient.

Halim Ali – a resident of Lafashail village trapped in no man’s land said that, the villagers are facing a lot of problems.

“We have now no food. The authorities have not allowed us to go outside to purchase any food items. We are facing many difficulties,” Halim Ali said.

Many other villagers of Cachar, Dhubri, Karimganj district of Assam are living in no man’s land and are facing similar problems due to COVID-19 lockdown.

Assam has registered 34 positive cases for COVID-19 so far and one among the COVID-19 patients was died due to the dreaded virus.

A total of 18 COVID-19 patients were discharged from different hospitals in the state so far.