Refugees coming on foot to Chilahati
From Our Staff Reporter, CHILAHATI, JAN. 4 – Only a bamboo pole was hanging loose as our jeep pulled up at the border point between Dewanganj and Chilahati. The metal road was now joined by an unmetalled one in the Bangladesh territory. And the bamboo pole marked the border here.
We were at first a bit hesitant to go through this unmetalled road which looked almost unused and deserted.
The surrounding areas bore no signs of danger. An uninterrupted stretch of golden paddy fields lay before us. Soon we came across a few local men who showed us the road to Chilahati. | Chilahati is a small place within the police station of Domar in Rangpur district. The Chilahati railway station is the terminating point for trains running from Parbatipur. The railway link between Haldibari and Chilihati was snapped in 1965. The Station Master of Chilahati, Mr. Mohsin Uddin Ahmed, said that if the railway lines were repaired soon, the movement of refugees from across the border would be easier. Refugees are now coming on foot to Chilahati to catch trains to Parbatipur.
As we were standing at the station, the train arrived. It was packed to capacity. The number of people taking a joyride was rather small. People came to visit their relatives. Local Chhatra League volunteers helped the railway authorities in checking tickets.
The railway bogies bore marks of bullets. Indian Jawans are escorting each train and particularly the non-Bengali crew of the trains.
A large majority of the technical staff of the railways are non-Bengalis who are now living at Saidpur. Trains were running only once a day. The services are not very regular.
Pakistani troops had destroyed telephones and some signaling equipment before retreating. The Bengali members of the staff were made to stay in their quarters at gunpoints.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 05.01.1972