Repatriation of evacuees to be over by Feb 15
By A Staff Reporter, The dispersal of Bangladesh evacuees from West Bengal totalled 129,797 on Wednesday an 10-time high since the formal dispersal started on January 1. Encouraged by the acceleration the State Government has decided to advance the target date of completing the repatriation of refugees to February 15 from the end of that month.
To expedite the movement a top-level conference of Army, Railways and Union Government agencies with the State Government officials at Fort William on Thursday decided on, among other things, to run seven trains as refugees specials daily from Saturday in place of the existing three. Moreover, dispatch of refugees from the Salt Lake camp would be initiated today (Friday) with at least 20 trucks being commissioned daily.
The Governor Mr. Dias, has convened a meeting with the District Magistrates in Calcutta on January 11 to sort out the problems related to the dispersal.
A State Government spokesman said on Thursday that the Bangladesh Government had informed Writers Buildings that the returning refugees were being quickly resettled. Till Wednesday, he added, 520,689 evacuees had returned to Bangladesh from West Bengal alone.
He said whereas at present three refugee specials were being run two from Kalyani and Banpur for Kushtia and Faridpur and one from Bongaon-for Jessore and Khulna from Saturday two more trains would be run daily from Bongaon and one more each from Kalyani and Banpur. The Banpur specials would go as far as Goalundo.
The rate of dispersal from Salt Lake camps would exceed 800 each day and about 60,000 refugees belonging to Jessore and Khulna would be moved first. According to the spokesman, refugees attached to this camp would number nearly 300,000.
At both Jessore and Khulna, the spokesman said, the Bharat Sevasram Sangh had opened camps for receiving the refugees.
Our own Correspondent at Silchar writes : Repatriation of Bangladesh evacuees from Cachar district to their homes in Bangladesh will commence on Saturday. It is expected that evacuees will enter Bangladesh from Cachar at the rate of 2,000 a day. This figure will increase as soon as arrangements for special trains are completed.
Our Dhupguri Correspondent reports : Altogether 4,204 families consisting of 19392 persons have left Sakati camp for Bangladesh up to January 4.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 07.01.1972