Cooch Behar (West Bengal) [India], May 28 (ANI): Three residents of Satgram Manabari area of Mathabhanga I Block in Cooch Behar district have voluntarily donated 33-decimal land to facilitate the construction of long-awaited border fencing along the India-Bangladesh frontier.

Residents have cited the need for enhanced security, stating that the lack of proper fencing has historically invited infiltration, smuggling, and damage to their agricultural fields.

Bikash Rai, a land donor, said that he donated the land for the welfare of the village and security of the country, underlining that the fencing will prevent the infiltrators from crossing the border. Further praising the initiative by the central government, he added that after the fencing is completed, the village and the country will be secured.

'We have given 20 decimals of land. We gave the land so that we can be safe and secure, and our country can be secure. That's why... I mean, this is a good thing that should happen. No fencing meant that previously, Bangladeshi nationals used to come here. They would come at night to steal cattle and take away our belongings. Infiltration also used to happen like this. It will be very convenient once the fencing is done. Let's say if this fencing is completed, then all our villagers will remain secure, and our country will remain secure as well. This is a good step by the government,' he said.

This initiative follows a major policy shift by the newly formed state government, which, shortly after assuming office in May 2026, prioritised the handover of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to address longstanding national security concerns.

On May 28, 2026, the state government officially handed over 142.79 acres of land to the BSF. This is part of a larger, aggressive push to transfer 600 acres of land within 45 days of the government's first cabinet meeting held on May 11, 2026.

Speaking on the compensation for the land donation, he said, 'We haven't received it yet. Right now, the processing is underway; the survey has been completed. The money will come through in a few days.'

Meanwhile, Hriday Barman, a relative of a land donor, urged the government to complete the fencing work at the earliest, saying that after the fencing is done, people living in the border areas will have better security. He added that smuggling and theft used to operate on a very large scale, as the area lacked barbed wire.

'There used to be a lot of problems because people from that side used to come here. Also, theft and smuggling activities used to happen on a very large scale. If this fencing is completed, India's security will be fully ensured, and we will feel safe. The farmers here and the people living close to the border will also have better security. And this is not just about local security; it's about the security of our entire country, India. So, the fencing must happen. Our appeal to the state government is that they should complete this fencing as quickly as possible,' he said.

Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that the government has initiated intensified measures to strengthen border security by facilitating the construction of BSF outposts and barbed-wire fencing. (ANI)