Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury requests PM Modi to open land port in Murshidabad, B'desh's Rajshahi

Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to open a land port in Murshidabad district of West Bengal and Rajshahi district of Bangladesh.

In his request, Chowdhury highlighted that unscrupulous smugglers often try to allure the poor and unemployed youths of the border areas to commit illegal activities including smuggling.

The letter by the Congress leader read, "Kindly recall my letter dated June 30, 2021 regarding opening a land port in Murshidabad, India and Rajshahi district in Bangladesh. Murshidabad shares one of the longest international borders with Bangladesh. A huge population from both Murshidabad and Rajshahi district do have relatives residing at both sides of the border. Since Murshidabad, has a porous border and inhabitants in and around."

"Jalangi Block are too poor, unscrupulous smugglers often try to allure the poor and unemployed youths of the border areas to commit illegal activities including smuggling. Road connectivity over the river Padma between Jalangi and Rajshahi district of Bangladesh can herald a paradigm shift in the economic growth of both the countries across the river and particularly the district Murshidabad, which even may change the so-called smuggler into a legal trader," the letter further read.

The Congress minister requested to open a land port at Kakmari of Jalangi Block under Murshidabad district of India and Charghat of Rajshahi district in Bangladesh.

In the letter, Chowdhury, who is also the current president of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, pointed out that the issue of riverbank erosion in Murshidabad is still not dealt with properly.

"Riverbank erosion is widespread throughout the course of the Ganges in West Bengal. A very large chunk of fertile land has been completely wiped out and thousands of people have been displaced in Samsherganj, Murshidabad District. Approximately. 1500 acres of land has been devoured by the river Ganges recently. The local inhabitants become landless and lose their livelihood. Sometimes, poverty leads to an increase in crimes," he said in the letter.

He further said, "It creates neo-refugees and with many social problems. Residents of the area always live in fear of their life and livelihood. They are always anxious and scared because they do not know when their houses will collapse and will submerge in Ganges."

On October 4, the Trinamool Congress increased its tally in the state Assembly as the party bagged two more seats from Murshidabad -- Samserganj and Jangipur -- that had gone to polls on September 30.

( With inputs from ANI )