Protests broke out in a village near the Bangladesh border in South Dinajpur on Friday when BSF personnel arrived to cut down bamboo plants, which, according to the security force, reduced visibility along the frontier.

According to BSF sources, no bushes, bamboo groves, or large trees are allowed near the border for security reasons. Such vegetation, they said, reduces the visibility along the border and affects surveillance.

South Dinajpur shares the border with Bangladesh on three sides of the district. Cultivation of tall crops such as jute and maize is prohibited along the border. Farmers in the border areas have generally adhered to the restrictions.

However, residents of Pirijpur in the Chingishpur panchayat alleged that despite banana orchards and bamboo groves being located at a considerable distance from the border fences, the BSF personnel had been cutting them down without prior notice. Farmers claim they have cultivated these areas for years without any objection from the BSF.

“Today, the BSF cut down our bamboo groves again. Even after we resisted, the BSF forcibly chopped down the plants and took them away. This has been happening for the past couple of days,” said Biplab Mardi, a villager.

When the security personnel chopped off the bamboo plants, the villagers resorted to protests. “We have informed the local panchayat member, but the BSF personnel said they would return tomorrow to cut the bamboo still left in the grove. This is unacceptable,” said Mardi.

A section of residents said the problem started after a new BSF battalion was deployed in the Chingishpur area of Balurghat block. Earlier, the same battalion had allegedly cut down nearly a thousand banana plants in Shiala and Kismat-Ramkrishnapur, two other bordering villages in the district, despite protests from farmers.

The 123rd battalion of the BSF posted in Pirijpur is yet to respond to the villagers’ charges.

Vijay Kisku, a Trinamool Congress member of the panchayat, reached Pirijpur. He said such issues had been occurring in the border area for some days.

“Today, the dispute escalated in Pirijpur over the bamboo grove. I went to the spot after receiving information. BSF officers told me that for security reasons, the border area needed to be kept clear,” Kisku said.

Ranjan Mahato, the chief of the Chingishpur panchayat, said he would take up the matter with BSF officers.

“I will collect details from the residents and speak to BSF officers. We have to resolve the problem, keeping in mind the interests of farmers as well as the security issue,” he said.